Getting It Right This Time
by frustratedstudent
Summary: Modern life and reincarnation confront the gang. Will Zuko and Katara get things right this time around to end a recurrent conflict? Obviously Zutara, but there are other pairings. Update: The Earth Rumble, and the gaang learning something of interest.
1. Prologue

A/N: The story begins

_A/N: The story begins. I do not own "Avatar: The Last Airbender", or any of its characters. They belong to Mike, Bryan, and Nickelodeon Studios. I make references and allusions also to other stories/classics here, but just references. _

_The Situation: Over and over again, they make the same mistakes. Will a new milieu be a little better for a certain duo? Yes, this is a modern day story. Main Pairings: Zutara, Taang, Sokka/Suki. _

**Prologue: Sent Back**

In that hallowed space between the lines, the Muses gathered again, summoned by the Lord of Stories. The entire assembly soon trickled into the Coliseum, some of them mournful, others whispering eagerly, exchanging speculation.

"It's going to happen again," was the general consensus. Indeed, there was no reason to discontinue the punishment. For the last several thousand years, they had sent out the pair to different milieus, only to have the same painful results.

A young man stood in the middle of the hall, his hands wiping over his newly shaven face. His hair was dark, his skin pallid, and his eyes brimming with ancient defeat. He bowed before the entire throng. "Friends, it was not my fault this time," he said tiredly. "I had no way of saving her before it was too late."

"That's what you've been saying. It's always the worst timing, isn't it?" a woman wearing heavy bracelets said. "Always the same excuse each attempt."

"Enough," the Lord of Stories said. "I thought that by putting the two of you in a more civilized age other than medieval Paris, that you would get it right this time."

"You didn't count on the clergy," the young man said bitterly.

The Lord of Stories nodded. "The very thing that I counted on to foster you both into pure, beautiful beings was the one that destroyed you. Perhaps next time around, this will be dealt with very differently."

A young, bald attendant emerged. "She is ready to come out now."

The assembly murmured with sympathy as a whole, though some scorn came from a few onlookers. "Show her in, I beg you," the young man said.

A beautiful girl walked through the doorway, her hair disheveled and her eyes brimming with tears. "You again?" she murmured. "Dead?"

"Don't we always end up this way at the end of it all?" her lover retorted, reaching for her hand.

The sight of them together, wan yet oddly joyful, was enough to hush the assembly. The Lord of Stories nodded to the girl. "Your account, Lady."

"I was forced against my will to give him up. I should have fought harder, or been given the opportunity to do so," the lady said. "And I should have killed that priest you put in with me!"

"My objections!" a voice cried in a Castillan accent.

"I saw what you did," another voice, that of a pained child replied. "And you beat me up in the convent!"

The attendant clucked his tongue. "Every cycle, same thing happens."

The Lord of Stories nodded wearily. If only Oma and Shu had gotten it right the first time, they would never need these discussions. "Alright, what haven't we tried?"

"Having them as neighbors was disastrous," a young girl said from the gallery, cracking her knuckles to hide the gashes there. "Both times."

"You'd think that Verona would be more conducive than ancient Greece," the former priest snickered.

"Then there was the Marruceos adventure," the lady said. "It ended too soon."

"Ah yes, Aldefisin and Gulnara," the attendant said. "A halfway successful venture, at least for Orosman and Zafira."

"I would have preferred to be an insipid Prince than say, a hunchback while she was a beautiful gypsy," the man scowled. "That was an unfair hand."

"Which was why we gave you the advantage the last time," the Lord of Stories said. "You had everything you needed to win her." He looked at his roster. "My, it seems a lot of you are awaiting to join the next cycle in play." He pointed to different people across the room till a group was gathered in the middle. Among them were the child, the priest, the woman with bracelets, the young girl with the gashed hands, and the Lord's attendant. They had all seen this scene before: once one knew his or her part, he or she would have to leave the room to descend to the world. They always left in the order of them being born. Once there, they would have almost no memory of having been in the realm of Story, save for that slight stirring of destiny if ever they would chance to meet their comrades.

The Lord of Stories sighed. "Once again, we must provide the universe with heroes. The time is nearing when the balance will be threatened again. It will be up to all of you to play your parts in the crisis to come."

He read out different parts before finally arriving to the priest. "You, former oppressor, will learn how it is to fight for one's rights. You will be proud, it may be your downfall again, but you will be in the position to learn from your mistakes. You will learn how it is to pay for throwing askew the destinies of others."

He pointed to the child. "You will be strong. You will know how it is to have friends, and to be an older brother to a sister. You will love, deeply and painfully. This time around, you will live to manhood to become a leader, and the hero of the ordinary."

He pointed to the dark haired young man. "You will be born again to privilege, but you will bear your scars young. You will have a spirit of fire within you. You will learn the value of asking for forgiveness. You will have comrades who you must hold dear, if you want to live. You are also born to lead the path of the difficult yet honorable life. And yes, I want you to find the one you love—and not waste time in letting her know."

The young man bowed. "And how will I know?"

"She will be close to you, closer than you think," the Lord of Stories said. He smiled wanly as he watched the hero leave the room. It would be a difficult but hopefully a happier path beyond the doors.

He turned back to reading the scroll. He nodded to the girl with bracelets and a silent friend who stood near. "The two of you must know how it is to be a sister. One the younger, the other the older. Your destinies are tied with the one who just left, and another friend of yours. It will be given to you both to choose between power and glory for your home, or the love of your brothers and your friends."

To the beautiful girl, the Lord of Stories now turned. "You will be born in very different circumstances: a sister, a peasant, but you will be braver than ever. You will be given gifts you must learn to accept. It will be your part to train those under you, and to heal your family and friends. You are like water, life giving and yet terrible. You will be given pride and courage, but you must not let it destroy you or the one you love. "

"And how will I find him this time?" she asked.

"He will be the friend you must learn to see in another way," the Lord of Stories said. He knew she would shed tears again, but perhaps this time they would be fewer.

"And what about me?" the girl with gashed hands asked.

"You will be given a curse and a gift," the Lord of Stories declared. "You will be strong and a legend in your own right, but you must learn to depend on others. You will walk by faith, not by sight. You will find that family is much more than you think it is."

Now only the attendant was left. "Once again, the world needs an Avatar," the Lord of Stories said. "You will be the freest, the most vivacious of them all. You will learn some of the pains of life, but also how they will pass in the greater scheme of things. You must be patient in mastering your skills. And your guides will be close to you. You will not have to look far to find them. You must take care to cherish and respect them, even if sometimes your choices seem to diverge," the Lord of Stories said.

The attendant bowed respectfully. "And my element?"

"Air," the Lord of Stories said. "Good fate, Avatar Aang," he said. As the new Avatar left the room, the Lord of Stories held up the strung wheel, crisscrossed with myriad colorful threads. His eyes followed the Avatar's life string. To his amusement, it tangled and intertwined deeply with the strings of the others he had just sent out.

He picked out two strings, one red as fire and the other as blue as sapphire. To his relief, despite their starting out on other ends of the wheel, the two strings eventually ran close together, forming a distinct course through the tangle.

"Yes, maybe this time…"


	2. Welcomes

**Chapter 1: Welcomes**

The campus of Ba Sing Sei University was the last place that Zuko wanted to be at on this night of all nights, but then again, there was nowhere else to wait while his uncle had tea with some acquaintances in the faculty room.

"_Well, at least the view here isn't so bad," _the raven-haired student mused as he idly flicked a flame from finger to finger, nearly singeing the cuff of his red sweater. From where he stood at the back bleachers of the University Quad, he could see the spotlights on the stage of the annual Welcome Concert that was held on the night before the opening of classes. If his amber eyes glanced to the right, Zuko got a glimpse of the walkway leading to the Earth Building, where he knew his uncle was. If he looked to the left, he could see the university's main gate and the waiting shed adjoining it.

Zuko raised his eyebrow as he caught sight of a lone figure walking out to the gate. Judging by the overly large blue jacket, it could only be one person. "Now what's Sokka doing there?" he wondered. Normally his classmate would have been in the company of friends or at least one pleasant woman, not all alone and away from a party.

The young firebender was thankful that the darkness hid the huge scar on his face, thus making him a little more difficult to recognize as he slipped down to the gate. He felt a twinge of pain in his left arm from a cut he had gotten earlier in the day at the tea café where he worked with his uncle. He cleared his throat as he approached his fellow sophomore.

Sokka looked up first. "Hello there. You're going home early?" he asked, not letting go of his boomerang.

Zuko put his hands in his pockets awkwardly. "No, I'm waiting for my uncle. What are you doing out here?"

"Waiting for someone," Sokka said, looking at his watch.

"Ah, who?"

"My sister. She's arriving tonight."

Zuko shrugged with disinterest. During the year he had been Sokka's classmate, he had heard the Water-Tribe boy mention a younger sister who was still staying with their grandmother in the South Pole. "_Probably another weird case like her brother," _Zuko thought, appraising Sokka's obnoxious looking ponytail.

Sokka twirled his boomerang idly. "So what's your uncle up to?"

Zuko shrugged again. His uncle was awfully popular with a lot of the students who frequented the tea café, Sokka included among them. "I think he's serving tea to the Dean of our college."

"The same dean who wants both our hides," Sokka commented. "So I hear you spent your summer at work?"

"Saving up for things," Zuko replied. "Even today I was working. I met quite a few of the new students here," he added. "_Including one bad-tempered waterbender," _he thought. He could still feel the chill under the bandage on his arm where he had gotten a small ice barb.

"Any beautiful girls?" Sokka asked.

Zuko shook his head. "No one of interest."

Suddenly, Sokka straightened up as he peered out in the darkness. "There is my sister now," he said.

Zuko's jaw dropped as he caught sight of a tanned girl walking up wearing a blue shirtdress with a black cardigan. "_Agni help me!" _he pleaded as he caught sight of the loops in her brown hair.

"Stupid firebenders," Katara muttered as she approached the university grounds. She self-consciously tugged at her dark brown braid, hoping that she appeared presentable.

"_If I hadn't stopped at that tea café, I wouldn't have had to change out of my clothes," _she thought as she surveyed her attire. As it was, she was running late already, thanks to having to return to the apartment she was sharing with her brother. Ironically, it was said brother who she hadn't met yet all day thanks to his having to fix his schedule.

It had been a very long way from the South Pole to Ba Sing Sei. After nearly a week on the road, Katara was all too eager to see the University. "Even if I know in a few days, I might want out of this place," she said to herself wryly.

From afar, she could see her brother conversing with a boy wearing red. "_Long dark hair—wonder what Sokka's friend does?" _Katara wondered as she ambled forward.

"Hey Katara! Come here and greet your brother!" Sokka called when he saw her.

Forgetting all shows of dignity, Katara ran up and gave her brother a hug. "Sokka! How have you been?" she greeted as Sokka lifted her off her feet.

"Great. How was your trip?" Sokka asked.

"Just fine," Katara said. "I had to ask the concierge for the spare key so I could get into the apartment."

"Sorry about that," Sokka said. He glanced towards Zuko, who was taking an interest in the floor. "By the way, this is my classmate Zuko. Zuko, meet my younger sister, Katara. She's off-limits, by the way."

Katara's eyes widened as she caught sight of the scar on Zuko's face. "You. I saw you today," she blurted out. Embarrassment was beginning to overtake her as she looked at the other boy, hoping that he had not been the same person she had a tiff with earlier that day.

"Indeed you did," Zuko scowled. "Thanks for that souvenir."

Sokka stared from his sister to his friend. "You two know each other?"

"I had a little incident at a tea shop earlier today," Katara said, looking at her brother. She blinked, now accepting that the raspy voice, the arrogant stance, the _scar_ that she hated were what she was seeing on her brother's companion. "I was enjoying my tea when someone knocked into me."

"You were in the way," Zuko said.

"You shouted at me."

"And that ice fight was totally uncalled for."

Sokka slapped himself. "Wait, did this end in a bending battle?" he asked the two cautiously.

"Something like it," Katara admitted, her cheeks darkening as she said this. "What were you doing at the tea shop anyway?"

"I work there. My uncle owns the place." Zuko replied.

Sokka whistled. "So, you two want to go around the campus or get something to eat? The party is just starting, and there's lots of good food," he said.

Katara rolled her eyes, but still she appreciated Sokka's effort to break the ice. "You haven't changed one bit, Sokka. You and that bottomless stomach."

"I'm a growing boy, Katara," Sokka argued.

"Yeah, at age nineteen? That's a little late." Katara said.

Zuko clapped Sokka on the shoulder. "Where does she get it from?"

"I don't know. Dad isn't like that," Sokka said. "Isn't, he, Tara?"

Katara nearly froze at the use of her childhood nickname. "Sokka, don't call me that. Or I'll use yours," she threatened.

Sokka held up a hand. "Right. You want me to show you around now? Can't have you getting lost tomorrow, can we?"

"True," Katara replied, reddening when she realized she hadn't been alone in speaking.

"_Damn that raspy voice of his!" _


	3. Adverse Grouping

**Chapter 2: Adverse Grouping**

"Wake up. Come on, you're going to be late."

Zuko groaned as he buried his face in his pillow and rolled over in the blankets. "It's just past sunrise, Uncle." Though in the past he had been able to get up at the crack of dawn, today he just found himself lacking the will to do so.

Iroh clucked his tongue as he tried to shake his nephew awake. "You cannot be late on the first day of school!"

"Right," Zuko frowned as he crawled out of bed and nearly fell to the floor in the process. Cursing, he extricated himself from the tangle of laundry that had wrapped itself around his feet.

"_Last night was definitely not worth it," _he thought as he found a clean shirt in the pile. He willed himself not to think too much about the waterbender he would have spent the entire night bickering with were it not for Sokka being around. "_If it wasn't for the fact that her brother is a friend of mine…" _

"I'll be down for breakfast in a bit, Uncle," he said to Iroh, who had somehow pushed out the overflowing hamper that he kept in the corner.

"Alright then. And by the way, you need to take care of this more often," the old man said, indicating the laundry pile. The young man merely nodded before the door was shut.

"_This term had better work out better than the last," _Zuko told himself as he rummaged for clean pants and a jacket. He could practically hear his father and his younger sister berating him in addition to his uncle's more gentle reprimands. "_If I hadn't left home, and if my sister hadn't decided to study elsewhere, I think I'd go insane." _

After washing and getting dressed, Zuko searched through a stack of books for the things he needed for his classes. He flinched however when he came across twenty-one cards from his classes the previous school year.

"I could do better than this," he muttered, looking over the 2's and 3's that marked his grades. He stashed the cards back in between two dog-eared books before running his hands through his hair one last time and shouldering his backpack.

Downstairs in the kitchen, Iroh was already boiling water in preparation for the first round of tea for the day. "What's your first class for today, Zuko?" he asked.

"Principles of Basic Governance," Zuko replied, sitting at the small table where he and his uncle took meals after working in the café out front. "Then I think I have Introduction to Anthropology after that, all the way across the campus."

Iroh smiled sympathetically. "Wear your running shoes then."

"Thanks for the commiseration," Zuko muttered, looking at the holes in his shoes. He could hear the usual noises of the street outside such as the occasional passing car and the clatter of dishes being set in the neighboring houses. It was not the first time that he wished that his uncle soundproofed the place.

Iroh set down a cup of hot water in front of his nephew. "A new school year is a time for a new beginning, Zuko. You should seize this chance to rewrite what you think is already set down in stone."

"_Don't I wish for it," _Zuko wanted to say. He looked into the steaming cup and at the reflection in the water. He had yet to lose the eyebags from studying for his political science classes, and the scowl from everything else that had fallen in between.

"Yeah right," he simply said. Not surprisingly, Iroh shrugged and went off to ready the café for the first customers.

Katara was thankful that somehow, most of her classes were on the same floor of the Feng building. Clutching her rather heavy Psychology book as well as her satchel, she walked down the hall to the corner classroom where she was supposed to meet her older brother.

"_This is the Anthropology class, right?" _she wondered as she peered in. She could see a few other students in the room, talking among themselves. None of them were familiar to her. A short girl sat in the third row, listening to music through her earphones that were half hidden under her bluntly cut black hair. She wore a slashed green shirt, and her sandals were dangling off her feet.

Feeling more encouraged, Katara entered the room and took another seat in the third row. As she did this, the girl wearing the earphones quickly looked up. "Your feet are heavy, you know."

Katara glanced at her with surprise. "Really?"

The other student nodded. "I could feel it when you entered."

Katara moved a few seats closer. "Are you a freshman too?"

"Yeah," the girl said, taking off her earphones. "Taking up Economics. Boring."

Katara winced. There was something unusual about this girl that she could not place yet. "My name is Katara Haon. You are…"

"Toph Bei Fong. You don't sound like you are from these parts."

"I grew up overseas in the South Pole."

"Oh," Toph said, facing Katara now. "That's far away."

Katara bit her lip to prevent from remarking at what she was seeing. "_Pale green eyes--she can't really be blind, can she?" _she wondered. Her question was answered when Toph suddenly brushed her hair over her eyes.

"Sorry for staring," Katara said weakly, afraid she had offended her seatmate.

"I just don't want the teachers to know. Yet," Toph said matter-of-factly.

Katara would have said something to this if the door hadn't opened, admitting a whole throng of students. "Hey Tara, don't you want to sit in the back?" Sokka asked, sliding into the other seat next to hers.

"I intend on taking notes this term, Sokka," Katara retorted. "Oh by the way, Toph, meet Sokka, my older brother. Sokka, meet Toph. She's also a freshman."

Toph awkwardly shook Sokka's hand. "Why are you taking class with us if you're older?" she asked.

"Academic problems," Katara laughed before Sokka glared at her.

"Let us just say that I have decided to postpone the study of anthropology for a more conducive time," Sokka said. "Besides, I think this class is mixed."

Katara glanced to the front. "Professor is here."

A bespectacled man set down several tomes on a desk. He surveyed the classroom full of whispering students. "Class, settle down. My name is Professor Zei and I'm teaching Introduction to Anthropology," he said quickly.

"He looks the part!" Sokka chortled under his breath before Katara and Toph glared at him.

Suddenly, the door swung open. Katara watched with horror as a figure hurried into the room. "Sorry to be late," Zuko said. He was covered in sweat, and his pallid face was flushed as if he had been running.

"Where did you come from, young man?" Professor Zei asked, lowering his spectacles.

Zuko took a deep breath. "Other side of the school at the Omashu building."

"Take that seat there," the teacher said, gesturing to the seat on Toph's other side. Zuko awkwardly slid past Sokka and Katara, avoiding the siblings' puzzled looks. He practically collapsed in the vacant seat and buried his face in his hands.

Katara stared at the firebender in disbelief. "_What sick coincidence is this?" _she wanted to ask him, but she bit her tongue.

"Anyway, as I was saying, this class is an Introduction to Anthropology," Professor Zei continued calmly. "We will be studying different cultures, past and present, from all around the world. The aim of this course is to give you an idea of people—not animals, not plants, not buildings or elements, but people and their way of life."

Katara watched as the professor began handing out the course syllabus. "Toph, how are you going to read it?" she asked.

Suddenly, Professor Zei held out a white paper studded with dots. "Is there a Miss Bei Fong in this class?" he asked.

"That will be me, Professor," Toph said. She made her way to the front without bumping anything and accepted the paper. "Thank you, sir."

"She's blind, isn't she?" Zuko asked Sokka and Katara.

"But she manages well," Katara replied curtly. "_Unlike some." _

"You will notice that in your syllabus, many of the activities required of you will be done by groups. Your groupings for the first assignment will be the same for the rest of the activities for the term." Professor Zei said. "To make things easier, you will be grouped by rows."

Sokka groaned, shooting a wistful glance towards two pretty girls seated in the back. Toph merely shrugged as she continued "reading" the syllabus. Katara caught Zuko giving her a look of dread.

"Seems as if this group is missing one member," Professor Zei said, surveying their row. "Class, could someone be kind enough to—"

Just then, the door was blasted open by a gust of air. An orange and yellow blur suddenly slammed into a desk.

"Ouch!" Toph exclaimed, as if she felt the vibrations.

Professor Zei helped the newcomer to his feet. "Are you alright?" he asked.

The boy who had made an entrance rubbed at his bald head, which was marked with a blue arrow. "Yes, I think so. Is this the Introduction to Anthropology class?" he asked.

"It is. And you're very late. Your name is?" Professor Zei asked.

"Aang," the boy replied sheepishly. "First year, Psychology…"

"Are you in the same classes?" Sokka asked Katara.

Katara shrugged. "Never saw him before."

"Alright, that will do. You will join this group for the rest of the term," Professor Zei said, showing Aang to the last seat beside Sokka.

Aang smiled anxiously at his new seatmates. "Hey guys. Looks like we'll have to work together from here on then?" he said.

Katara smiled weakly at Aang, feeling her hopes for the term dissipate. "_Tui, La, what did I do to deserve this?" _she wanted to beg.

"Alright, for your first group assignment, I want you to get to know each other and submit a short report on "What is Anthropology", due at our next meeting." Professor Zei said.

Some people dropped their books. Others groaned, while a few stopped speaking altogether. Aang's eyes widened, Sokka's jaw dropped, Toph hit her head on the desk, while Zuko crumpled a sheet of paper.

Katara only shrugged philosophically. _"At least that's one thing in here that's still normal."  
_

Unlike a lot of students, Zuko did not see anything wrong with eating lunch alone. Today, he took refuge from the crowded cafeteria and headed up to a fire exit near the cafeteria building, right next to the football field.

His stomach growled as he opened up his packed lunch. "_Why do I always end up with a schedule that has a late break?" _he asked himself as he set out his sandwich and a can of juice.

He had to admit, for the flaws of his chosen eating place, the proximity factor was a good thing. He was in a perfect position to run if the bell or worse, a Dai Li Prefect caught him unawares. As he bit into his sandwich, he browsed through a brochure he had picked up earlier in the day after Anthropology.

"_What would it take to get accepted in this exchange program?" _he wondered. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to travel the world and learn useful things. Not to mention that his family would stop ragging on him for his lack of achievements. Zuko thought back on the grades he had found earlier in the day. "_I really can't settle just for that…"_

He heard a shriek from the playing field below him. "_Oh yes. First year bending class and the assessment test," _he thought. He could feel his face smart with the memories of his freshman humiliation. "_At least I caught on, eventually, and got some of those earthbenders to shut up during the final duel." _In the university, benders were usually assigned to smaller groups within the bending classes, depending on the element they specialized in. Non-benders had it easier with the Physical Education track.

He watched with interest as a tower of earth grew in the middle of the field. He could see the tell-tale green of Toph's shirt at the pinnacle. At the foot of the tower, he saw Katara defending herself using waterbending to ward off the earth missiles that Toph sent at her.

"_Okay, so maybe those girls are good at something," _Zuko remarked to himself before he saw someone rising on a whirlwind of air towards the young earthbender.

"That can't be!" Zuko exclaimed, amazed at the sight before him. It seemed to be something straight out of the legends he had heard as a child. He blinked to make sure that he was not hallucinating. "_Uncle is going to want to hear of this." _

He made a mental note to ask Aang about it later. After all, if he had taken notes on his hand correctly, they were all meeting tonight, about Anthropology, of all things.

"Stop doing that, Twinkletoes!" Toph yelled exasperatedly at Aang.

"What did you just call me?" Aang shouted over the gusts of wind that he was sending at her.

"Twinkletoes, dummy!" Toph screamed at him, bending pebbles in his direction. One hit Aang straight in the chest, making him lose control of his air scooter.

"Wait!" Katara called, sending a stream of water towards Aang to somehow break his fall. However, the airbender quickly recovered and floated to the ground.

"Thanks, Katara" he said, grinning at Katara.

Toph lowered the pillar of earth and stepped off furiously. "I can't catch you like that," she said.

"That was a great exhibition. Master Aang, arrangements will have to be made for you. Miss Bei Fong, you should not be at the beginners' level so you will be put in another earthbending class," Master Pakku said from the end of the field. However, his blue eyes narrowed when he looked at Katara. "A word with you though."

"Yes sir?" Katara asked, dusting off her clothes.

"I think with your skills, you will need another class. I will have you placed in Modified Bending," Master Pakku said.

Katara felt the blood drain from her face. "_What will I learn from that besides the history of bending?" _she wondered. She had heard about the class from her brother, who had described it as, "a pity case of sorts."

"Master, with all due respect, I think I can keep up with the normal bending classes," she said.

"It is not appropriate for me to teach waterbending to women," Master Pakku said firmly. "It goes against traditions."

Katara drew herself to her full height. "Not in the South Pole tribe."

"You are not there anymore!" Master Pakku said loudly. "I will arrange your class adjustment with the registrar by next meeting," he said before going to speak with another student.

Katara glanced at her classmates, all of whom save Aang and Toph were shaking their heads. "I have to go to class. See you later," she said quietly, closing her thermos of bending water.

"_This isn't right!" _she fumed, feeling her humiliation sink in. "_You tried to prove your abilities, but you won't even get to use them," _she berated herself. In her fury, she almost did not see some students walking towards her.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" a girl wearing a bonnet snapped, shoving Katara rudely.

"Easy there, Smellerbee," a calm voice said.

"Easy for you to say, Longshot!"

"I'm sorry," Katara said to Smellerbee and her companion Longshot, who was holding her back. "I should watch where I'm going…"

"Just chill, it was an accident," another voice said calmly. Katara turned to see a boy wearing a jaunty shirt with a vest and jeans. He seemed to be chewing something in the corner of his mouth as he looked at Katara intently. "I saw what happened out there at the field."

"I don't want to talk about it," Katara said coldly, though she was aware that her eyes were still glued to him.

"Hey, I meant it as a compliment," the boy said, giving Katara a rakish look. "I hardly see the likes of you in this place."

Katara nodded skeptically. "Thanks," she said, unsure what to make of this cocky stranger's words.

Before she could turn, he was in front of her again. "I know your name is Katara. You're new here aren't you? You look like you could use some help," he said.

"_Maybe he doesn't mean any harm," _Katara reminded herself. She smiled at him. "So what do I call you?"

He swallowed the mint he had been chewing. "Call me Jet."

"_The only reason why I volunteered my place is because I know Uncle might need my help tonight," _Zuko thought as he hurried home, library books in tow. He could feel his sneakers beginning to yawn as he turned the corner.

At a road crossing, he caught sight of a blue-clad figure lugging heavy books under one arm and swinging a satchel from the other. "_Well, at least someone is punctual," _Zuko noted. Squaring his shoulders, he dared to approach the girl.

Katara saw him first. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Going to the meeting, obviously," Zuko said, more snappishly than he'd planned. "Need help?"

"I can manage by myself, thank you," Katara said primly, standing up as straight as she could. "Have you seen the others?"

"I thought you'd know the answer to that question,"

"Well, I haven't seen them, that's why I'm asking."

Zuko nodded wryly, feeling the tension thicken even more between them. "So, Katara, have you found anything useful for the report?"

Katara sighed, shifting one of her hair loops. "I went to the library but some of the better books were checked out by some upperclassman."

Zuko felt the books grow even heavier in his bag. "_She's going to kill me when I bring them out, I just know it." _He adjusted the strap of his backpack. "I checked out some stuff we could use," he said, grinning at her.

Katara raised an eyebrow. "I figured you were cocky, but I didn't think you'd be so _contemptuous." _

Zuko was taken aback. "Contemptuous? I'm only asking because I'm concerned about passing, or getting more than that."

"And you think I'm not?" Katara said, placing a hand on her hip. "Listen here, Zuko, I can't afford to fail anything. Actually, I _literally_ can't afford to get "just passing" on anything. I don't want to be mediocre."

"_I wonder why…" _Zuko thought, but he brushed aside his query for later as he and Katara crossed the street to the tea cafe. As he opened the door for her, he felt her sleeve brush his arm. The jolt it gave him was almost electric, and he swallowed hard before stepping in.

"Hello Zuko. I see you've brought a lady friend?" Iroh greeted them.

"She's not a lady friend. She's just my classmate," Zuko said through gritted teeth. "Katara, meet my Uncle. Uncle, this is Katara, Sokka's kid sister."

"A pleasure to meet you, Katara," Iroh said. "Can I get you anything?"

Katara looked at the menu written in flowing calligraphy over the counter. "Some berry tea please," she said.

"Zuko, I need your help in the kitchen for a minute. You don't mind, I hope?" Iroh said to the younger people.

Zuko shrugged resignedly as he put down his backpack. "Just for a minute," he said under his breath.

Once they were out of earshot, Iroh nudged Zuko. "She's a pretty one."

"Uncle!"

"And if she's the sister of your friend, you'd better treat her right."

"Tell that to _her_," Zuko scowled. "She was in here yesterday. She was the one who gave me that gash on my arm!"

Iroh nodded as he poured boiling water into a teacup that had a purple teabag in it. "I think you could learn a lot from her."

"Yeah, what can I possibly pick up from a _waterbender_ who is _younger_ than me?" Zuko asked.

"You'd be surprised," Iroh said, handing him the teacup. "Now give this to her."

Zuko gave his uncle a dirty look before returning to the café front room. Much to his surprise, Toph and Aang were already there, discussing something seriously with Katara.

Aang waved him over. "So it's just Sokka we're waiting for?"

"Apparently," Zuko replied, setting down Katara's tea cup on the table. "What's going on?"

Toph took a deep sniff of the tea. "Discussing what happened today in bending class," she said. "This tea is too sweet by the way."

"I _like _it that way, thank you very much," Katara said, lifting her cup to her lips. "I can't believe that Master Pakku is so _biased_," she said when she had taken a sip.

"Biased, what do you mean?" Zuko asked.

"He won't have Katara in his class and he wants her in modified bending because she's a girl and he doesn't think girls should learn waterbending," Aang explained.

"I say you show him what you've got. Challenge him," Toph suggested.

"That's crazy. He's a professor," Katara said quietly.

"Whatever happened to the girl who said that she didn't want to be mediocre?" Zuko blurted out.

Katara stared at him with surprise just as the café door opened again. "Sorry I'm late," Sokka said, pulling up a chair. "And I've got the guide questions, by the way."

"Oh good," Toph said. She scowled when she grabbed the paper Sokka had in hand. "Okay, someone should dictate these for me so I can type," she said, reddening a little as she fished in her backpack for a small computer.

"Is this your entire group?" Iroh asked, returning to the front room. "Nice to see you again, Sokka."

"You too, Uncle. Have you met my sister?" Sokka greeted.

"I have," Iroh said, glancing quizzically from Toph to Aang. "Would you like anything?" he asked them.

"Green tea for me," Aang said.

"I like black." Toph said.

"Mine with lemon," Sokka chimed in.

"I thought so," Iroh said. "Zuko, if you want some chai, I'm heating up some already."

"Thanks," Zuko mumbled. He looked down just in time to see Katara opening his backpack and pulling out the library books. He nearly laughed to see the surprised look spreading over her face as she surveyed the book titles.

"You had them all along?!" she asked him, her expression a mix of gratitude and outrage. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Zuko smirked at her. "You never asked."


	4. Affiliations

_A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I didn't really count on making the previous chapter so funny, but well, what works, works. More new characters in this chapter, and maybe the beginnings of trouble. _

**Chapter 3: Affiliations**

_"This is downright sadistic," _Katara thought as she looked at the pile of work set in front of her as she sat at a table at the end of a shaded walkway. It was Wednesday morning, the day that she and her group would be giving their report. The morning sun had barely risen over the tops of the university buildings, and the shadows were still long. The university premises were almost deserted, owing to the early hour.

Katara ignored the growling in her stomach as she thumbed through her textbooks. "_If I don't get some homework and advanced reading in, I'll be in trouble tomorrow in my Psych classes. And it will defeat the entire purpose of coming here ahead of Sokka and the rest," _She shuddered at the scenarios that loomed in her mind. "_It's too early to slack off and risk your scholarship,"_ she reminded herself.

She felt the coolness of her mother's necklace dangling in her shirt. "_Supposedly it gave Mom a little luck," _she mused. The turquoise necklace, an heirloom in her mother's family, had beads carved with glyphs, with the central pendant signifying "Hope."

"_At least it did for a while," _Katara thought bitterly. Now her mother was dead, and she hadn't seen her father very much in the last three years. As she bit her lip and reached the end of the chapter on "Psychological Research Methods", she noticed a familiar face at a neighboring table.

"_That's one of the girls in Anthropology class," _she realized as she took a look at the other student who was writing a paper furiously. This girl, apparently about Sokka's age, was wearing a green sports jacket paired with sweatpants. Her wet hair looked as if it had been hastily gathered up into a bun.

Katara smiled at the stranger. "Are you in Professor Zei's anthropology class?" she asked.

The older girl put down her pen. "Yes. You're one of those seated in the third row, right?" she replied amiably. "What's your name?"

"Katara. I'm a freshman."

"I figured as much. My name is Suki," the other girl said. "So are you ready for class today?"

"I think so," the younger girl replied anxiously. "_And if Zuko is late, I'm going to nail him with my waterbending," _she reminded herself.

Suki rolled up the sleeves of her jacket. "I wouldn't be too worried about it. Professors tend to go easy on the first-timers."

Katara nodded. "What are you doing in school so early?"

"Training," Suki replied. "I'm on the women's judo team. We got a nasty deal this year: we have to train in the morning while the guys get to train in the afternoon."

Katara winced at the thought. "Can't you guys bargain for a better schedule?"

"Not with all the varsity teams here," Suki said, her lips growing a little taut. "Not even having a roommate who is on the student council helps."

"Oh? Who is your roommate?"

"She's also in our class. Her name is Yue, she's a junior," Suki replied. She peered at Katara intently. "Are you sure you don't know each other? Yue is from the North Pole Water Tribe, and if I'm not mistaken, you are from the Water Tribe too."

"Actually, I'm from the South Pole Water Tribe," Katara pointed out. "_Though I wonder…if I befriend Yue, could she get Master Pakku to keep me in his class?" _she thought. She winced once again as she heard her stomach grumbling.

Suki smiled understandingly. "I'm from Kyoshi. It's an island a good way from here too. I could tell you more about it over breakfast."

"That sounds nice," Katara said. "Is there a cafeteria open at this time?"

"No, but there's a decent place not far from here." Suki replied as they packed up their things. In a few minutes, the two girls arrived at the doorstep of the Kuzon Café, which was located on a side street at the east side of the campus.

"Looks decent enough," Katara commented, noting the brightly lit exterior with neon nights on the façade.

"Yeah, it's what you get on a student budget. You might want to avoid the soup of the day though," Suki said, pushing the door open. As soon as Katara stepped in, her eyes riveted on someone who was waving to her from a corner of the establishment.

"Nice of you to come so early, Katara," Jet greeted.

"Just getting some breakfast," Katara replied. She smiled cordially at Longshot and Smellerbee, who were both half asleep over their coffee. Two boys were at the table, apparently engaged in some arm wrestling.

"Hey Duke, Pipsqueak, make some room for Katara and—" Jet said, glancing furtively at Katara's companion.

"It's Suki by the way," the older girl replied, graciously accepting the vacant space the boy named Pipsqueak made for her.

Jet nodded by way of acknowledgment. "Well, it looks like we can get this discussion in order."

"About time!" Duke said, brushing his straw blonde hair out of his face.

"A discussion about what?" Katara asked.

Jet shot her a cavalier grin. "I'll explain this quickly. Have you heard yet of the People's Rights Party?"

"Um, I'm new."

"Well, we're a student organization that employs direct action to be in solidarity with the marginalized of the Earth Nation."

Katara nodded, trying to digest Jet's speech. "When you say "direct action", you mean a protest group or something?" Suki piped up.

"You could say that," Jet said. "We do what it takes to make those in power shut up and listen to what the people need.For instance, did you hear how the latest election in Ba Sing Sei was manipulated by the politicians in connivance with the Fire Nation's investors?"

Katara rested her chin on her hand. "A little, but the particulars are hazy."

Suki nudged Katara. "He's cute, but weren't we here to eat?" she said in an undertone.

Katara smiled guiltily at Suki, then at Jet. "I have to get my breakfast and go to class. Maybe you can explain that to me some other time?"

"Can I have your number?" Jet asked quickly. "We can meet up later, or tomorrow during breaktime."

Katara paused just long enough to push Sokka's admonitions out of her head. "_I'm a big girl now, brother," _she thought as she brought out her phone.

000

"_So much for a ten minute head start!" _Zuko thought frantically as he watched the numbers change on the elevator display in the Omashu Building. He could feel his arms tensing up as the number 8 flashed on the screen. "_Come on, just three more floors! I can't be late for Professor Zei's class again!" _

"Hello there, Zuko," a feminine voice greeted. The firebender nearly jumped out of his skin before realizing who was talking to him.

"Um, hello Song," he stammered awkwardly, turning to face the fresh-faced young woman who had seemingly materialized beside him. The sight of her brought back memories of floral perfume and ice cream, as well as of slightly more complicated times. "And you too, Teo," he added, realizing that Song wasn't alone.

"So where's your next class?" Teo asked, sitting up straight in his wheelchair. He carried only a folder and a calculator on his lap, but he had Song's purse dangling from one of the wheelchair handles.

"Feng building," Zuko replied. "_Nine minutes left." _

Song burst out giggling. "You poor thing! Teo, you should show him your experimental design for a flying backpack. He sure could use it,"

"I left the plans on my desk," Teo said.

Song bit her lip as she looked at Zuko. "So how are you doing nowadays? I hear you were in Ba Sing Sei all of summer break."

"Yeah, I had work." Zuko replied curtly. "_And nowhere else to go." _

Song and Teo exchanged knowing looks. "Well, you're majoring this year. You should have more fun this time," Teo said. "If you need help with Science subjects, just ask me. I'll be more than willing, if you're polite."

"Yeah, if it doesn't get in the way of your summa cum laude bid," the firebender said acidly as the elevator door opened. He stepped in and looked over his shoulder just in time to see Song mouth, "What's with him?" before the door shut.

_"So it looks as if she's moved on," _Zuko thought, shaking his head to clear his mind of the image of his ex girlfriend holding hands with the genius of the senior class. He watched with agony as the elevator marked its slow progress downwards. "_Seven minutes…" _he calculated.

As soon as the elevator door opened, he shoved his way through the crowd of students in the lobby. "Watch it there!" he heard an angry female professor shout at him, but he was too much in a hurry to apologize. He sprinted as fast as he could down the covered walkway, past the University Quad and the cafeteria, past the playing field, and round a corner into the lobby of the Feng building.

He swore when he saw the queue for the elevators. "_Second time this week!" _he thought as he dashed to the stairway, wishing that Professor Zei did not have a fondness for holding class in the higher floors of the university buildings. At least, Zuko thought, he had been building up his endurance, what with the errand _running_ he had done all summer for the tea café.

He was out of breath, but not completely winded by the time he arrived on the tenth floor. He had just enough time to wipe his face with his sleeve before straightening up and walking to the classroom door. He peered in through the glass window and saw that the entire class had broken up into groups, while Professor Zei rigged the projector. Steeling himself, Zuko pushed the door open, keeping a hand hot _just in case_ Katara would be the first to greet him.

"You're late, Sparky," Toph said sardonically from where she was perched on a desk.

"Sparky?!" Zuko sputtered. "Where did that come from?"

"Hey, you're a firebender," Toph said. "I could think of worse for you, if you don't tell us why you're tardy."

Zuko swallowed hard, aware that Sokka, Aang, and Katara were watching him, and perhaps a few other people as well. "Elevator problems."

"Really, Zuko, all these excuses," Sokka chided. "You're slacking."

"I am not," Zuko scowled as he went to the last empty seat, which thankfully was next to Aang. Just as he sat down, he heard the bell ring, signaling the beginning of the period.

"Alright, now we'll start," Professor Zei said. "Thank you for those who made it a point to be on time today. We will draw lots as to which group is reporting first."

Zuko glared at his groupmates, who were all trying to keep straight faces, save for Katara, who had an innocent smile. "Late?" he asked her menacingly.

"Oh, I didn't think you'd be so gullible," she said. "At least you ran fast enough."

"_Wench," _Zuko wanted to say, but he bit his tongue. He watched warily as Aang went up with some classmates to draw lots.

The boy smiled gleefully after a few moments. "We're second!"

On the other hand, Suki, who had also drawn a paper, had an anxious look. "We're first, Yue," Suki said to her seatmate.

"Here, I've got the report. I'll go with you," the girl named Yue said, brushing back her hair, which was so blonde that it was almost platinum or white. Her shapely figure was well-flattered by her tailored clothes, which had a few Water-Tribe details embroidered on the collar.

Zukko found himself looking appreciatively at Yue as well as Suki, but his admiration turned to amusement when he saw the look on Sokka's face. "_Yes, once again he bites the dust," _he realized with a smirk. Momentarily, he thought of drawing up a pool as to how long it would take for Sokka to start making a move on either of the two young women, but reason eventually prevailed.

"Good morning classmates. For today's discussion, we have to first clarify the term "Anthropology" as a field of study," Yue began confidently. "The word "Anthropology" is taken from—" she continued before a sudden sneeze exploded through the room.

Zuko quickly moved to prevent his groupmates' papers from flying. Toph yelled as she nearly dropped her laptop. Sokka stared with horror at the scene, while Katara got up from her chair. "Aang, are you alright?!" she asked their friend, who had somehow ended up right on the _top_ of the blackboard.

Aang wiped his nose. "Yeah. I'll be fine."

Professor Zei's jaw dropped. "Are you an Airbender?"

"Um, yes," Aang said, floating down to the ground to land on his feet.

Professor Zei's jaw dropped. "This is a miracle! The last of an ancient and lost civilization, here! Aang, from which Air community do you come from?"

"The East," Aang said slowly. "I haven't been home in a long time, though."

"Still, you could tell us about it…" Professor Zei said.

Aang looked down momentarily before giving the teacher a wide grin. "Later, but can I go to the bathroom?" he said quickly.

Professor Zei paused. "Well--" he began before Aang suddenly dashed out of the room.

"I suppose he really had to go," Zuko quipped. "You can't hold back the call of nature."

Katara crossed her arms. "You don't get anything do you? He's obviously upset about something," she said concernedly.

"He sure didn't sound it," Zuko retorted.

"You get him in the men's room," Katara said. "Or wait, on second thought maybe that should be Sokka's job?"

"What am I supposed to do with him?" Sokka asked under his breath.

"Just see if he's fine, okay?" Katara said. Sokka nodded before slipping out of the room, leaving a bewildered Zuko with the two girls.


	5. Rising Powers

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Now for another long chappie…_

**Chapter 4: Rising Powers**

Though Sokka had gotten Aang to return to class after a few minutes, Katara still noted that her friend seemed somehow subdued. "_It's something more than we all know," _she figured as she caught up to Aang in the hallway once Professor Zei had dismissed the class.

Aang glanced over at her with a smile. "We have Math class after lunch, right?" he asked her more cheerily.

"I think so," Katara replied, unsure how to broach the subject of what had transpired earlier that day.

Aang looked down at his feet. "I suppose I owe you an explanation for what happened."

Katara nodded. "It wasn't something so bad. Why don't we talk about it over lunch?" she said. "_Thank La we have a two hour break before Math!" _

Aang shrugged as they headed towards the cafeteria three floors below. "It's not as if I don't like being an airbender," he said, breaking the silence at last.

"Well, it must be awkward. Professor Zei was going on about how you were the remnant of a lost civilization or something," Katara remarked. She knew there were lots of weird legends and tales about entities such as Avatars, the spirit world and sky bisons, but it was something to deal with them in real life. "_Especially here in Ba Sing Sei. Then again, Gran-gran told me not to discount any possibilities."_

She glanced at Aang again."I know, no one hears much of airbenders anymore, but is it really that bad?"

"It is," Aang replied, gritting his teeth.

"You don't have to talk about it yet if it hurts you," Katara reassured him.

He shook his head. "It's going to come out. I'm not just any airbender," he said. He took a deep breath. "I'm the Avatar."

"_Alright, I wasn't expecting that," _Katara gripped the banister. "Seriously?" she blurted out.

Aang hung his head. "I wouldn't lie about such a thing. It's because of me that the rest of my people are gone."

Katara shook her head, trying to remember what she had learned from combing through Sokka's history notes. _"Clearly Sokka's history book has been censored. It just says that the Air Nomads vanished a few years ago, and nothing more," _she realized when she could come up with nothing.

As if he had read her thoughts, Aang leaned against the wall and looked at her. "I was only twelve when it happened. I was playing hooky from the monastery where I spent most of my life. I had taken Appa with me to fly up to the mountains."

"Who's Appa?" Katara asked. She had a sinking feeling of knowing where this story was going. "_As if I have heard it before." _

"My sky bison," Aang explained. "Anyway, I did not want to think of things then. That week was when the monks told me about my being the Avatar. I don't really know _why_ they told me so early, since in our traditions, Avatars only learn who they are when they are sixteen. And I'm only fifteen now, by the way."

"Slow down, Aang. You're rambling," Katara said. By this time, they had continued walking down the stairs and were almost at the cafeteria.

Aang calmed himself by taking a breath. "I fell asleep. Then I woke up in the middle of a storm. It was the worst I had seen in our parts. Everything was flying everywhere, and I could hardly bend it away. That was when I looked back and saw the monastery, the temple, the village. Everything was destroyed. I saw the Fire Nation troops leaving the place in ashes. And when I flew down, that's when I found their orders listed on a paper—they had orders to find _me_. They had wiped out everyone else during their search. All my friends and teachers were dead."

Katara's hand flew to her mouth to stifle her gasp of horror. "Aang, I'm so sorry." She felt an impulse to hug the boy, but decided against it for the meantime.

Aang sighed deeply, showing Katara to a chair in the cafeteria before taking a nearby seat. "That was when I ran. Good thing I had Appa with me, and later I found my lemur Momo. I had to get away from the East. I tried going to where I knew other Airbenders lived. It turned out that the East was the last place the Fire Nation troops checked for the Avatar."

_"No wonder he can't really open up about it, especially with Zuko in the room," _Katara realized. "So what did you do next?"

"I got by," Aang said a little more brightly. "I somehow ended up in a school run by some Fire Nation colonists in the Earth Kingdom. I spent some time there, of course hiding who I was." He patted his bald head. "Now, it feels good to have to shave again."

Katara smiled weakly. "I suppose you can't hide the fact that you're an airbender, but I promise I won't tell anyone you're the Avatar."

"Not even your brother?" Sokka's voice suddenly came from nearby.

"Oh hi Sokka," Katara greeted. "Don't you have classes now?"

"Professor didn't show up," Sokka said. "It happens. So am I intruding, or can I join you kids for lunch?"

"Sure, why not?" Aang said amiably.

"Are you coming with us to get something?" Katara asked as she got up from the table.

"I have lunch," Aang grinned, bringing out a paper bag.

Sokka ushered his sister to the lunch counter. "Tell me that I didn't hear what I just heard," he said in a hushed voice.

"What did you hear?" Katara asked, getting a lunch tray.

"That Aang is the Avatar?! Either the universe has gone wild, or Aang is out of his mind!" he whispered.

"He knows what _really_ happened to the Air Nomads. I don't think he's lying about it," she retorted.

"He knows?" Sokka said, obviously surprised. "That never really came up in my history classes. Still, does his story check out?"

Katara bit her lip. "Aang is fifteen. When did the previous Avatar supposedly die?"

"Fifteen years ago. And story has it that if he came back, it would be as an airbender, but that part is a little sketchy," Sokka said. "This is too weird—history is crossing with an old wives' tale. It's like the day we discovered you could bend water."

Katara laughed and punched his arm. "You'll never stop ribbing me about that won't you, big brother?"

"Hey, how could I forget? You drenched all the boys who tried to fling snowballs at you!" Sokka said teasingly.

Katara was about to say something to that before she heard her cellphone beep with a message. She forced herself not to smile as she saw the name on the screen. "_Well, Jet seems eager." _

Sokka glanced at Katara knowingly. "That someone I know?"

"No, but it's no one of consequence," Katara grinned.

000

At about three in the afternoon, a lone figure could be seen walking out to the playing field.

Zuko rolled up his sleeves before taking a firebending stance. He shot out flames from the palms of his hands, smiling as the fire made an arc around him. As he readied himself for another barrage, he found himself whisked off his feet and flying through the air. He landed with a hard thud some feet away.

"_There are two pillars where I was standing," _he thought as he surveyed the field. He winced as he suddenly found himself looking up at two familiar faces.

"You have to be careful Zuko. You almost got us scorched," the older of the newcomers said, helping up the firebender.

Zuko frowned and dusted off his hands. "_When was the last time Haru shaved?" _he wondered. "I didn't know you were acquainted with Toph," he said, indicating with a gesture the blind girl smirking at him.

"Actually, I accidentally gave him an uppercut using the dirt near the library yesterday," Toph confessed.

Haru rubbed his jaw. "A well placed one too."

"Hey, you want to train against us for a bit, Sparky?" Toph asked Zuko.

"_Two against one—no, not fair," _Zuko thought. "No," he said.

"Maybe someone hasn't been practicing his firebending," Haru said, rolling his eyes.

Zuko glowered at him. "I have improved, for your information."

"What, afraid to fight alone?" Toph said. "I could always call Twinkletoes over."

"Twinkletoes?"

"Aang. Or you want me to call Katara instead?"

"That's it," Zuko snarled, letting flame burst from his fingertips. Haru and Toph quickly lobbed rocks at him, which he took down with fireballs. One rock nearly glanced off his leg. As he prepared to attack, suddenly someone hit him across the back with a stick, sending him to his knees.

"What was that for, Jet?!" Haru roared.

"He was attacking you," Jet said, still brandishing his stick. "You're from the Earth Nation, he's from the Fire Nation, can't you tell?"

"We were training!" Toph said. "And really, can't you think of better excuses?"

Zuko got painfully to his feet. "Alright, out with it. What do you want?" he snapped at Jet. He knew that Jet and his comrades were (for the most part) older than him, but he found that respect and deference were inaccessible to him at the moment.

Jet's eyes were cold as he met Zuko's angry gaze. "Out of the field. We're using it for an activity."

"Says who?"

"Says this," Duke said, holding out a signed permit. "Sorry about that."

"Well excuse me for intruding," Zuko said, glaring at Jet and his posse. He shook his head at Toph and Haru. "We'll have to train some other day."

Jet nodded to Haru. "You're free to join us. Bring your friend too."

Haru shook his head. "I have things to do with the publications office."

Toph crossed her arms. "I don't understand what's so important that you need the entire field."

"Watch and see." Jet said confidently.

Zuko cringed, Haru and Duke burst out snickering, while Smellerbee, Longshot, and Pipsqueak rolled their eyes. "Yeah, sure I can," Toph sniggered.

Jet colored momentarily. "Still, it will be good for you to _hear_ what's going on."

"Yeah, maybe some other day. Catch you later, Sparky," Toph said, jogging off after Haru.

Zuko shook his head as he regarded Jet. "I thought you outgrew bullying some years back before coming here," he said sardonically.

"Now if you know what's good for you _firebender--" _Jet began.

Someone ran onto the field. "Is this where the meeting is, Jet?"

0000

Katara was glad that she had not been on the field when the earthbending had begun, but now as she glanced from Jet, to his friends, and lastly to Zuko, she wished that Toph could have hit her upside the head with a boulder.

"Yes, just as I said in my message." Jet replied. "More people should be coming in a bit."

"_Will Zuko tell Sokka about this?" _Katara wondered. "Were you invited, Zuko?" she asked the firebender as coolly as she could manage.

"Apparently not. I was just about to make my exit," Zuko said calmly, turning to leave. Katara watched his back, unable to quash the bad feeling in her gut.

"You actually know him?" Pipsqueak asked Katara.

"Unfortunately, he's a classmate of mine," Katara said. "_Can't say that I like him much though." _

"People like that should know when to be put in their place," Jet said darkly. "Well, let's get this thing rigged. Longshot, Pipsqueak, take care of the stage. Smellerbee, Duke, you're in charge of the fliers."

"And me?" Katara asked.

Jet smiled at her in a way that made her knees just a little wobbly. "We'll go together to the public address system," he said.

Katara was about to protest before she found herself being half-dragged by Jet to the small booth near the rear of the stage. "Um Jet, don't you think the quad would be better for such a thing?" she asked quickly.

"The quad is taken over. Maybe some other time, soon hopefully," Jet said, tapping the microphone. "Attention all students! If you are socially aware, or just want to make a difference, please join us at the playing field. I repeat--"

"_Awfully big buzzwords there," _Katara thought, but she had to admit, those "buzzwords" sent a tremor of excitement down her spine.

She was barely aware when Jet had finished his announcement. "You think they will hear?" she asked him.

"If they know what's good for them," Jet said. "I saw that firebender friend of yours beating up on two earthbenders. One of them was a girl."

"_Well, if it's Toph he was up against, I'm not sure that's really beating up," _Katara smirked. "And that was when you intervened?"

"I suppose you could call it that," Jet said. "It's amazing how arrogant these people are. I should know firsthand."

"Why?" Katara asked, brushing dust off the chain of her necklace.

Jet gripped the side of the booth. "I'm here in Ba Sing Sei thanks to the Fire Nation. My family got dispossessed."

Katara whistled, bracing herself for another tale. "_Probably comes with the territory of my course," _she told herself. "Go on."

"That was just the beginning. Actually, my entire _village_ got dispossessed, just because some colonial governor had a disagreement with us about our lands," Jet narrated. "So we moved here to the city, just me and my parents. That was the same year unfortunately when a disease swept through the lower ring of this place." He looked at Katara bitterly. "I suppose it doesn't take a genius to know where the story ends."

"It doesn't," Katara agreed. "_This world is cruel, isn't it?" _she thought as she looked at Jet, who suddenly seemed to have a few years taken off him. "But that doesn't mean things can't go right if we try to do something."

A smile spread over Jet's face. "True."

000

"_Double, triple humiliation. What did I do to deserve this?" _Zuko thought as soon as he got home. He found he had some time left before the afternoon rush of customers in the tea café, so he decided to check for messages. To his relief, all he found were a few joking forwards from classmates, as well as from some old friends in the Fire Nation. "_Makes me wonder why my sister's friends send me jokes when I can't even get a giggle out of my own sibling," _he pondered.

Suddenly, the phone rang. Grudgingly, Zuko picked it up. "Hello?" he said over the buzzing he heard in the connection.

"Sokka here. My phone is out of credit and it's nowhere to be found. Have you seen Katara since classtime?" the agitated voice on the other end said.

It was then that Zuko realized where the buzzing sound came from. "_Sokka's stuck in a phone booth," _he grinned. "I thought she'd be with you."

"Well, she's not. Aang hasn't seen her either, and Toph is off someplace. I also asked Suki and Yue, and they don't know a thing." Sokka explained.

"So you did make a move on those women after all," Zuko said.

"Yes—hey, what are you talking about?" Sokka said. "This is not about me or them, but it's about the fact my little sister is missing!"

Zuko bit his lower lip, unsure what to say or do. "She's still at school," he finally said. "_At least that wasn't an outright lie." _

"Oh okay. Thanks," Sokka said before hanging up.

Zuko put down the phone just as someone knocked on his door. Iroh peered in cautiously. "Are you doing homework, Zuko?"

"Not yet," the younger firebender replied, not looking at Iroh.

"Alright, because when you're finished, I need help downstairs. Someone has rented out the place for a party," Iroh said.

"_To think we're awful at that kind of entertaining," _Zuko thought, but he bit his tongue. He turned to his face his uncle. "Uncle Iroh, what do you know about the Air Nomads?"

"Hm, why the sudden interest?" Iroh asked.

"Well, something happened in anthropology today," Zuko said. "Actually, for the second time." Briefly, he outlined all of the times he had seen Aang airbend. "I thought all the Air Nomads were gone."

"You can't believe everything you read or even study in school," Iroh pointed out. "And even in your studies, you must learn to read between the lines."

Zuko scratched his head. He hated it when his uncle wasn't direct to the point.


	6. Passing Meetings

_A/N: Reviews please_

**Chapter 5: Passing Meetings**

Katara was thankful that the sleeves of her jacket covered up the several day-old frost marks on her arms. "_At least I got what I wished for, even if conditionally," _she thought as she slipped into the Kuzon Café on Monday afternoon.

"About time you got here," Jet grinned from his group's favorite table in the corner.

"Had bending class," Katara replied. "Regular bending actually."

Smellerbee raised an eyebrow. "I thought the old fogey teaching that class hated you."

"He just took a little convincing," Katara said. "_Well, I didn't really count on that bending battle last week on Friday, but it was worth it." _She had to kill the smile on her face at the memory of storming Master Pakku's office to protest his decision to move her to modified bending.

"Alright, let's get this meeting in order. It won't be long, since we have so much to do," Jet said, glancing at Duke and Pipsqueak, who were thumb-wrestling. "Even now as we speak, the Student Council is reviewing our plans to hold a rally on campus."

"More like planning to veto it," Longshot scowled.

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Why? Aren't we supposed to be drumming up support to help the people in the Lower Ring of this city?"

"Because, Katara, there are other forces at work," Jet said darkly. "Such as the Dai Li prefects who watch the school, and the Fire Nation students within the council."

"Too bad the Water-Tribes are underrepresented," Pipsqueak commented.

"Another Fire Nation doing." Jet added.

"Yes, but isn't majority of the student council composed of Earth Kingdom students?" Katara asked. "Can't they do _something_?"

"When they aren't afraid," Smellerbee said. "Wake up, Miss Sunshine. It's too difficult, but we just have to deal with them."

"Well, we can't just stay quiet. It's unjust. Not everything has to go through the council then. Maybe we can hold the rally elsewhere!" Katara blurted out.

Everyone at the table went silent. "That's an idea," Duke grinned.

'It would mean better attendance," Jet said. He was practically beaming at Katara now. "Have you got any ideas for a venue?"

"Well, I haven't been around the city much," Katara admitted.

Jet chewed his gum more reflectively. "What do you say we go out and scope a little?"

Katara shook her head. "I'm supposed to be meeting friends here in a while."

"When can you join us then?" he asked, catching her gaze.

"I'll have to see," Katara said. "I've got classes to deal with."

"You could always skip," Duke suggested.

The waterbender gave him a look of horror just as the café door opened. "Sorry we're late, Katara," Aang said by way of greeting as he and Toph put down their bags on a nearby table.

"No, you're just in time," Katara said. "Guys, meet my classmates Aang and Toph. Aang, Toph, meet Jet, Longshot, Smellerbee, Pipsqueak, and Duke."

"It's The Duke," the boy corrected.

"Fine, The Duke," Katara said.

Toph cocked her head slightly. "Don't I know you guys from someplace?"

"Yeah, we rescued you from a firebender," Smellerbee said.

Katara glanced at her friends. "Is there something I don't know about?"

Longshot peered closely at Aang. "How did you get that arrow on your head?"

"I painted it on," Aang said, grinning weakly.

"Right," Jet said, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure you don't want to come with us?"

"Sorry," Katara said. "We're still waiting for my brother and another friend of ours."

Jet nodded as if understanding Katara's point. "Then we'll see you soon?" he asked, smiling at her more hopefully.

"Soon. Bye guys," Katara said, stepping aside to let the others exit the café. Once they were gone, Katara joined Toph and Aang at their table.

"Sparky and Snoozles are late," Toph said.

"When you say Snoozles, you mean Sokka, right?" Aang asked.

"Yes, thanks to the way he snores during Professor Zei's lectures," Toph said, rolling her sightless eyes.

Katara giggled mirthfully. "I don't care if Master Pakku says I'm only in his class conditionally. I intend to do my best," she said more seriously.

"I'm glad I find waterbending easy," Aang said. "At least you could help me, and I could help you, Katara."

"Psh, what help could you need? It's just splashing around," Toph scoffed.

"Toph, it really isn't that easy," Katara said. "Water sometimes has a mind of its own."

Toph shrugged, as if not quite conceding. "So since your brother doesn't bend, what does he like to do?"

"He's a boomerang specialist," Katara replied. She glanced at her watch. "Where _are _those two?"

"Maybe we should go back to school and look for them?" Aang suggested.

"Takes too much time. Besides, I'm hungry," Toph said.

The café door opened again, this time admitting four people. "See, I told you they'd be early. You didn't have to wait up for me, Sokka," Yue chided one of her companions.

"Since when were you so intent on being a gentleman?" Katara asked her brother pointedly, though secretly she was relieved that her brother and Zuko were less than punctual that day. She noticed the bruises on Sokka's face. "What's with those?"

"We went sparring. I'm disappointed in you, Sokka," Suki said, glancing at the boy they were ribbing.

"I let you win the fight. Five times!" Sokka protested as he pulled up chairs for her and Yue.

"You just won't admit she's better than you," Zuko smirked. "Were you waiting very long?"

"No, not really," Katara replied, aware that he was somehow studying her. "_I swear, if he mentions anything to Sokka about Jet, I'm going to do worse than chill up his arm." _

Yue sighed as she put her notebooks on the table. "That rally by the People's Rights Party is going to cause a lot of trouble," she said.

Katara felt her gut lurch. "Why?"

"Some people in the council are for it, others are against it," Yue explained. "Me, I'm just trying to mediate."

"I certainly don't appreciate their kicking students off the field for their use," Zuko scowled.

"They had a permit," Katara argued. "It was legitimate."

"How would you know that?" Suki asked Katara.

"_Oops," _the younger girl thought. "Well I—"

"I told her about it," Zuko interrupted. "I got thrown off the field when I was intent on training."

Yue frowned at this tale. "Maybe I should have a word with their leader."

Sokka snorted. "Sounds like a jerk."

"Which he is," Zuko added.

"You guys are so mean," Katara snapped. "Mean and prejudiced."

Aang listened to this argument keenly. "Just because they act badly that doesn't mean we have to return that to them," he said quietly. "Otherwise, we won't get anywhere."

Yue glanced at Aang. "You're right about that. I'll just have to be diplomatic and hope he is in a like frame of mind," she said, giving Sokka and Zuko knowing looks.

"It will work. Trust me," Katara said confidently. "_I think Zuko knows more about Jet than he lets on, and the other way around." _

A server came over, bearing tall tumblers of water. Just as Toph reached for a glass, Sokka accidentally bumped her wrist, sending the tumbler to the floor.

"What a mess!" Suki yelled, getting everyone's things out of the way.

"I've got it," Katara said, getting to her knees to bend the water back into the tumbler. Just as she touched the puddle, she felt a hand brush against hers. The feeling was as if someone had sent a shock through her fingers and she drew her hand back.

"Wait a bit," Zuko said, righting the tumbler. "Now go ahead,"

Katara quickly returned the water to the tumbler, aware that Toph was whispering something to Aang, who was glaring at Zuko. Shakily, she replaced the tumbler near where the server had set down the others. "It's okay now."

Zuko nodded to her. "Thanks."

The café door slammed open again this time. "Haru, are you sure they're here?" a girl asked. She wore her hair up in a bun, but a few strands had escaped to artfully frame her face.

Haru glanced around and waved to the group. "Toph, Zuko, I knew you'd be here."

"Smarty pants," Toph laughed. "Who's that with you?"

Haru smiled at the girl he was escorting. "A high school friend of mine named Jin. Jin, I want you to meet my friend Zuko,"

"Um yes. Hi," Zuko said awkwardly, shaking Jin's hand.

Jin smiled at him. "Haru says you're quite a gentleman."

"Have you been telling her tall stories?" Sokka joked before Katara elbowed him.

"You really do talk too much," Katara said lightly, unaware that the water in her glass had begun to ripple slightly.


	7. Tea Stories

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone! _

_I know I'm doing another café scene, but this is just for fun, and because I owe Zuko a chapter from his POV. Or at least, a chapter that is mostly at his expense. _

**Chapter 6: Tea Stories**

"_The worst part about mopping floors: before a spot gets dry, someone always manages to walk over it with dirty shoes," _Zuko scowled as he tried to clean up a corner in the tea café. He prayed that the café door would stay closed long enough for him to get the mop back into the cleaning closet and for the floor to lose its wet sheen.

Just as he turned his back, he heard the windchimes over the door tinkle. "Zuko, could you sort out these jars—" he heard Iroh say by way of greeting.

"Uncle, I just mopped the floor!" Zuko groaned.

Iroh looked from the boxes he was carrying down to the footprints trailing behind him. "It does not matter. We have to fix this assortment before the customers come," he said calmly.

Zuko glanced momentarily at his schoolbag, which he had shoved conveniently to one side of the counter. "_One month of school and already we have major tests to study for," _he realized. "I was hoping to get some homework done, but I'll help," he said.

Iroh looked around the café with a rather morose expression. "I see you did not bring any of your friends with you again."

"They'll come later if they want to," Zuko said, quickly stowing the mop into the closet behind the counter. "Sokka is taking sword-fighting lessons for I don't know what reason. Haru is buried in paper up in the newsroom, and Aang said he had to see to something where he lives."

Iroh chuckled as he began setting out the blue and brown jars he had purchased. "And nothing about the ladies? I recollect you having met an interesting few in the last few weeks."

Zuko shook his head as he went to help his uncle. "I'm not interested in _that_ way. I don't have time for such things."

Iroh shook his head. "You know, there's no harm in having _friends_, Zuko. What about that nice girl, Jin?"

"I'm not sure where she is now. I think she's got a class till evening," Zuko replied. In the last three weeks, he and Jin had met up about thrice, two of them being by accident, and the last being on the insistence of Haru and Aang. "_I can't say I had a blast, but I did have fun talking to her last week." _

"Hopefully she drops by later," Iroh said. "How about Toph? I just got a case of strong black tea, the very kind she likes."

"She's got a review for an Economics test," Zuko said matter-of-factly. "I don't known when _that_ ends either."

"She'll need the tea after," Iroh said reflectively. "And of course, what about Sokka's sister, Katara?"

Zuko bit his lip to contain his exasperation. "She's out with friends of hers," he said tersely. "_Or to be honest, she's out with that troublemaker Jet and his cronies. And guess what, her brother has no idea what she's up to." _

Iroh clucked his tongue. "You don't sound very happy about that."

"Should I care?" Zuko said as he finished laying out the jars. His gaze was drawn to the blue ceramic in front of him. "_The only things bluer than that are Katara's eyes," _he found himself thinking.

"Nephew?" Iroh asked, breaking his reverie.

Zuko nearly gave himself a mental slap. "_I hope she gets home fine," _he thought,

willing himself to stop daydreaming. "Now the blue ones are for what?" he asked his uncle.

"Those are for green tea, while the brown ones will hold the black. I'll put the white tea into the red jars we have, and the mixes into the black ones." Iroh said.

Zuko swore under his breath as he fetched the blue jars and began emptying the week's tea supply into them. He glanced at the clock on the wall. "_Six already…" _

He had just finished with the green tea and was about to start with the black when suddenly the café door swung open. "Hello Zuko," Jin greeted him demurely.

Zuko nearly spilled the black tea on the counter. "_Spirits, I hope I won't have to do more cleaning," _he thought. "What are you doing here, Jin?"

"Oh, it's cold out, so I thought I could use a cup of tea," Jin said, giving him a sweet smile as she went to her "usual" seat by the café's window.

Zuko got a teacup from the counter. "You want green tea?"

"No, I think I'd like chamomile," Jin replied, resting her chin on her hand.

Zuko quickly put the chamomile tea and water in the cup, and when Jin was not looking, did a little firebending to heat up the water. With a debonair grin, he handed the tea cup to her. "Here you go."

Jin took a sip of the tea and hesitantly swallowed. "Is it good?" Zuko asked.

"It's just great," Jin said, taking another sip of the tea. She then set down the cup. "So tell me about your day, Zuko."

"It was fine," the firebender said, glancing at her.

"What do you mean by "fine"?"

"The usual stuff."

Jin nodded by way of acknowledgment. "Nothing special happened?"

Zuko shrugged as he returned to his task of transferring the tea leaves into the jars. "Well, we have some requirements, and upcoming tests. Anthropology report, a paper on governance…" he trailed off, noticing the concerned look forming on Jin's face. "_I don't want to burden her with my to-do and things-I-did lists." _

"I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle," Jin said reassuringly.

"That's what everyone says about everyone else's classes," Zuko muttered just as Aang and Haru entered the tea café.

"Well look who's here," Haru greeted Jin cheerily. "Has he been treating you right?" he added, gesturing to Zuko.

"Yes of course," Jin said with a smile.

"You've got fur on your shirt," Zuko said, pointing to Aang.

Aang sheepishly brushed off the white strands that were stuck to his sleeves. "I forgot about that."

Jin gave Aang a curious look. "You have a pet?"

"Actually, two," Aang said, trying to sound casual about the fact. "They both shed _a lot_."

"_What kind of pets do air nomads have anyway?" _Zuko wondered as he filled the last tea jar as Iroh came out from the kitchen.

"Hello. It's good to see you here again," Iroh greeted the youngsters. "Can I get you anything?"

"Yes please," Aang said, blowing on his hands. "Green tea, please?"

"I think a storm's going to hit," Haru said, sliding into a seat across from Jin. "I'll have the usual black tea with milk. Thanks, Iroh."

Zuko reached for a jar, but Iroh slapped his hand. "Stay with your friends. I'll take care of the tea," the older firebender said. "I'll also get some chai for you, nephew."

"Yes, why don't you sit with us?" Aang said from where he was seated beside Haru.

Zuko walked over to the last remaining seat, which happened to be beside Jin. "I don't understand how anyone can just put milk in their tea," he said to Haru.

"You drink chai. What's the difference?" Haru asked pointedly.

For a moment, Zuko's entire face went as red as his scar. "There _is _a difference."

Jin smiled amusedly. "Is he always like this?" she asked Aang.

"No, he's worse," Aang replied. He gave Zuko a knowing look. "You never said sorry to Katara for what happened the last time we were all in class."

"She started it," Zuko said curtly. "I was just minding my own business while she was returning to her seat and she _happened_ to drop her thermos on my toes."

Haru snorted at the idea. "So I presume you two got into an argument? What stopped it?" he teased.

"Toph threatened to somehow bury them," Aang chuckled.

"A good thing that the classroom isn't on the first floor, or that Toph can't bend metal," a new voice said from the café doorway.

Zuko grimaced as he watched Katara bend the rainwater out of her hair and her clothes. "You're on your way home?" he asked her calmly.

"Yes, and thanks for the concern," she replied sarcastically. She turned to Aang and Haru. "Jet told me to invite you to our next rally. It's going to be bigger than the last one. We're hoping to go straight to the Earth King," she informed them gaily.

Zuko shook his head disapprovingly. In the last few weeks, he had done a little asking around and research about the history of the People's Rights Party. "_While they may have legitimate concerns, they do need to refine their methods," _he noted.

Jin glanced at Zuko. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing."

Haru picked at his mustache. "Maybe I can put a piece about it in the school paper's next issue."

"Thank you," Katara said happily. "Aang, are you coming? I'm going to be there," she almost pleaded with the airbender.

Aang bit his lip. "I suppose, but I don't have a good feeling about it."

"I'm not surprised. It's a stupid plan. It's not going to get anywhere," Zuko said, looking straight at Katara.

"And why? I know you don't like Jet, but that does not mean you have to put down everything he does or even what he believes in," Katara retorted.

Zuko crossed his arms. "It's hypocrisy. They talk about people's rights, yet they discriminate against the Fire Nation unjustly? Not every firebender is up to no good."

"You don't understand Jet's past," she said. "You don't know anything."

"Oh, so it's about a sob story then?" Zuko challenged. "I tell you, he is not the only one with a reason to fight against so-called injustice."

"Yeah, he isn't," Katara said hotly. "You'd understand if you knew where he…or people like us are coming from."

"Now before you all exchange more harsh words, I suggest you both calm down or your discussion will only head nowhere," Iroh said, returning with three teacups for Zuko, Aang and Haru. "Katara, there's some new berry tea I think you'd like to try," he said to the waterbender. "It's a fresh blend from the south."

"Oh," Katara said. "Yes, I think that would be nice."

Iroh gave Zuko a pointed look. "You're forgetting something."

"Oh, right," Zuko scowled before giving up his seat for Katara and getting another for himself.

"There's nothing like tea for a good conversation, or to end a debate," Iroh said. "If this storm lasts, I had better cook some dinner for all of you," he added as he went to the counter.

Katara hung her head. "I hope Sokka doesn't eat all the food that Grangran sent us. I miss South Pole food."

Jin attempted to take another sip of her tea. "What's the specialty there?"

"Seal jerky," Katara replied.

Iroh returned with the cup of berry tea. "Have you tried any Earth Kingdom specialties yet?"

"Actually, just my attempts, or the cafeteria's attempts at making them," Katara admitted.

Haru glanced out the window. "Don't look up now, but Madame Wu is on this street—and it looks like she's going to stop here."

Jin looked as if she wanted to sink into the floor while Zuko grimaced again. "_Of all professors, why did it have to be her?" _he begged Agni and whatever other deities there were.

"Who's Madame Wu?" Aang asked.

"She's the Sociology teacher, also currently my professor," Jin explained. "Unfortunately, her class is a requirement in the second semester of your freshman year. That's when she handles Psychology students like you."

"First semester is when she handles the Political Science groups," Zuko said. "As well as the Architecture and Mathematics students," he added, earning a baleful look from Haru.

Katara cringed. "What's so bad about her?"

"You'll see," Zuko said tersely as the café door opened.

Madame Wu, a spare and elderly woman, quickly shook her umbrella off in the doorway. "Iroh! Have you got the new box of white tea?"

Iroh smiled cordially at the teacher as he showed her to a chair. "It just arrived today. Shall I give some to you?"

"Oh yes. It would be good for my rheumatism," Madame Wu said. She turned to the young people. "Now if it isn't three of my favorite students. How are you doing?"

"Fine," Jin replied while Haru merely smiled, and Zuko averted his eyes.

Madame Wu clasped her hands. "That's good to hear," she whispered before glancing at Aang and Katara. "You two are new here. You're Master Pakku's bending students, aren't you?"

Aang and Katara nodded, both of them looking more than bewildered. "Yes. We're taking up Psychology," Aang replied.

"Then we shall meet in the classroom," Madame Wu said with a smile. "But enough of that. I want to do something I haven't done for a long time. Have any of you have had your fates read?"

"_This is the thing Haru and I escaped last school year," _Zuko thought. Dutifully, he shook his head.

Madame Wu sighed. "Ah yes, you were so stubborn last year. Jin, I was hoping to do this with your class soon, but you can try it now." She gestured to Aang and Katara. "Consider this a sneak preview."

"What do you mean by "reading our fates"?" Katara asked.

"You're all drinking tea," Madame Wu explained. "I can look in your teacups and at the dregs there to see what the future has in store for you. It's a talent of mine, and a service to my students." She pointed to Haru's cup. "You're finished with your tea. You'll go first."

Jin looked sadly into her still filled cup. "I suppose I'll go later then."

"I'll finish your drink," Zuko offered. He knew that Jin's tea would have cooled off, so he drank it down quickly. The acrid taste on his tongue however almost had him spewing it back up. "_Ugh! Did something die in that cup?" _he wondered as he wiped his mouth and tried not to cough as he watched Madame Wu examine Haru's teacup.

The old woman pursed her lips. "I see a captive in your future. Someone…no people you know and care about. I see power in you that will be unleashed. And there's a broken line. Something you have now will be interrupted. You are going to fight this change, but instead of fighting it, you must handle it in some other way."

"Can't you tell him if he will pass his Architecture subjects?" Zuko asked impatiently.

"Finish your chai," Madame Wu ordered. She returned the teacup to Haru. "It's not a complicated cup. Now it's your turn, Jin."

Jin gave Madame Wu a worried look. "Is it good, Madame Wu?"

"A passable cup," Madame Wu said. "I see steadiness, of course a few rocks in your path, but you're not going to lose your way. A little romance, maybe, but it's unclear as to where that will end. I see a home, yes it's a good thing, but the foundations are a little to the side--"

Jin gasped and yanked back her cup. "Someone go next!" she whispered fearfully. "I don't want to hear anymore."

Zuko drank the last of his chai and reluctantly handed his cup to the professor. "Good luck with that."

"Good luck to _you," _Madame Wu said with a mixture of firmness yet pity in her voice as she turned his cup. "You're going to need it. I see forked roads. You have a number of difficult decisions to make, young man, and either way has its price. Ties are going to be broken in all the choices you make. There's another shadow too: betrayal, secrets dredged up, possibly a few nasty incidents that may or may not result in death of either you or someone else close to you."

"_I suspected as much," _Zuko thought, touching his scar. Still, despite his skepticism, he wished that Madame Wu could read it differently.

"Is there anything good in that cup?" Katara asked.

Madame Wu nodded. "Power too. A great deal of it. And there's a clash of swords too for courage. You're going to have to see things through, Zuko. And I daresay, you stand a good chance of overcoming the odds and bringing about a change, as seen by that dislodged mountain. And well, there's a great romance in your future. I should warn you though, that rose in your cup has many thorns."

"_This woman is just as cracked as Uncle," _Zuko thought as he took back his cup. He caught Jin looking at him momentarily before her eyes focused on the table.

"Your turn, boy," Madame Wu said to Aang. Her brow furrowed as she scrutinized the dregs. "You have a lot on your hands for someone so young. I see the world. I see your destiny interlocking with many others—some of whom are close to you now. You will have to learn from many others things that you need to know, but not necessarily want to know. Power is here again, and so are the forked roads—only that they are larger. The elements are all here too: water, earth, fire, and air. There's also a terrible danger looming ahead of you. You will want to escape it, but your destiny and your position demand that you confront it for the sake of everyone you know. Are you sure you're just a student?"

"For now," Aang said a little worriedly. "Will I be happy at the end of it all?"

Madame Wu smiled. "Perhaps, but that will be of your own making. There is peace too, but it will come after a long time. There is love too, but you must know where to find it. There's light in this cup yet behind all these complications."

Something about Madame Wu's prediction stirred something in Zuko's mind. "_He's more than just the last of the airbenders," _he realized. "_But what else can he be?" _

"Don't worry Aang," Katara said, patting the boy's arm. She passed her cup to Madame Wu. "So what do you see?" she asked eagerly.

Madame Wu shrugged. "Again, forked roads and power. I see that you will soon encounter things that you will refuse, but at the same time you must learn to embrace. I see many people. They love you and depend on you. You must be strong for them. But I see a few losses despite your efforts to help. Then there are those who cannot be trusted. You must learn to discern who they are, as they are also already with you. I also see some unexpected estrangements and unexpected bonds too—there's a great romance coming for you as well."

Katara's eyes widened. "Really? Are there any clues?"

Madame Wu's eyes twinkled with mischief. "He's a powerful bender."

Katara's hand flew to her mouth while Jin burst out giggling. Aang blushed slightly, Haru looke down while Zuko rolled his eyes. "It's just a prediction. Nothing is set down in stone yet," he said.

"Well, it's not my fault if you want to rewrite your own fate," Katara said nonchalantly.

"_Not all of it," _Zuko thought as he met Madame Wu's annoyed gaze.

"Young man, in all my years of reading the leaves, I have never been proven wrong," she said ominously.

_A/N: Yeah, canon references. Anyway, note that the symbols in the tea and their meanings are purely arbitrary. I just made them up for story purposes. _


	8. Fight or Flight

_A/N: Trouble starts! Thanks for those who reviewed, by the way. _

**Chapter 7: Fight or Flight**

The water formed a shimmering ribbon in between Katara's fingers before she formed it into water whips that covered her wrists. Quickly she lashed out at the bender who came for her, and in the same breath, managed to also impede Aang's attack from her right.

"Hey, lemme go!" Aang protested, freezing the whip that had wrapped itself around his ankle before shattering the ice. He bent water into a fist that he used to send Katara backpedaling several feet.

"_Oh no you don't," _she thought as she lost no time in sending ice missiles at Aang, who managed to deflect them using a wave. However, Katara jumped up on the wave and rode on it before letting it down to drench him completely. She ducked to avoid the barrage of ice pillars that hurtled towards her, but still managed to get slammed by one so that she fell right into the pool amid the cheers and catcalls of the other students.

"Excellent work," Master Pakku said from the poolside when Katara surfaced. "At the very least you can take down a small shark with that. That will be all for today. Class dismissed, see you next week, don't forget to practice."

Katara huffed as she climbed out of the pool and began bending the water out of her clothes. Aang was doing likewise to his own garments. "Are you alright, Katara?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm just fine," Katara said, wringing out her hair. "What did he say about your bending?"

"I need to practice more," Aang shrugged. "Could we practice later?"

Katara gave him a mournful look as she pulled on her boots. "Sorry, I'm meeting up with Jet in about an hour," she said.

Aang bit his lip. "It's for that rally, isn't it?"

"Yeah. You want to come? We need every person we can get."

Aang thoughtfully laced up his shoes. "I don't know. I know you, Jet, and the rest mean well, but is what you're doing the only way to help?"

"If we keep silent, no one will listen," Katara pointed out. "And to do nothing would be even more wrong than to fail in doing something."

"It's just that I have the feeling that someone's going to do something _rash_ or dangerous," Aang confided. "I don't want you to get hurt. And everyone else would tell you the same thing."

"_I'm going to pay Zuko back for not being able to keep his mouth shut," _Katara resolved. It had been bad enough that Zuko had told Sokka about Katara's involvement with the People's Rights Party, but did he have to tell their friends as well?

"I appreciate your concern, but I think we can handle the Dai Li if they decide to make matters difficult," she said as she picked up her satchel. "So what are you and the rest up to?"

"Toph insists that we watch Sokka spar with Suki. Yue is coming along to make sure that they don't hurt each other too badly," Aang replied.

Katara chuckled as she straightened out her clothes one last time and headed out of the university gymnasium. She broke into a run towards the gate and across the street to the Kuzon Café. When she arrived there, only Jet was waiting outside.

"I sent the others ahead to the other rallying points," he explained when he saw her puzzled look. "The two of us have a mission to do."

Katara saw that Jet was holding a rolled up banner. "Where are we going to hang that?" she asked him.

"There's an outpost on the way to the palace. It's just the right size to hold up this banner. Talk about the irony of it," Jet said cockily as they began walking down a narrow side street. "Katara, do you know how to scale a wall?"

Her jaw dropped. "Do icebergs count?"

Jet let out a disappointed sigh. "Alright, I'll climb the wall while you cover me and stand as lookout."

Katara felt a little weak upon imagining the scenario that Jet was proposing. "_Yet he seems so sure that it's going to work."_

They caught a train on the other side of the street that brought them towards the upper edge of the city's middle ring. After this, the duo walked two blocks till they reached another large intersection. A dingy traffic light stood in the middle of the place.

"There it is," Jet said, pointing to a rather ornate brick building at the corner. "This is the last rallying point before the march to the palace," he said to Katara as he handed her his backpack. "I'm not going to climb up very high—maybe just to the fourth storey. I can only move when the traffic light is green," he added, gesturing to the intersection.

Katara nodded anxiously. "What if someone sees you?"

"That's why I need your help," Jet replied. He clambered on top of a trash can before jumping up to a bunch of crates. He pulled himself up to the topmost crate before untying a rope which he kept threaded through his belt loops. He ducked into a corner just as the traffic light turned red.

"_How is he going to pull himself up further?" _Katara wondered as she continued to listen for any suspicious noises. She breathed a sigh of relief as the light turned green after what seemed to be an eternity. Upon seeing this, Jet moved to anchor the rope to a sculpture, and soon he was running along a ledge. Within a minute, he had anchored the banner to the building, and now he let the green fabric unroll dramatically over the façade.

"Come on, get down now!" Katara called, seeing the traffic light turn yellow. Jet practically scampered down the building and back to the sidewalk.

"There, that was not so bad," he said. He glanced at the now red traffic light. "Now all we have to do is wait."

Katara smiled as she sank down to sit on an upturned paint can. "You have any idea how many people are coming?" she asked as she tied a green ribbon onto her shirt.

"From what I know, at least several hundred," Jet replied. "There was a time, about a couple of years back, that I thought it a good thing if we got even fifty people to show up. I guess a lot of people need some time before they can have enough courage to take a stand."

Katara sat up straight as she heard what sounded like marching feet and chanting. Jet smiled broadly as he shouldered his backpack again. "So it begins," he said as he and Katara went to meet the other protesters.

Longshot and Smellerbee were in the front line along with some other students and a few of the leaders from Ba Sing Sei's lower ring. "Duke and Pipsqueak are handling the rear of the crowd," Smellerbee reported.

"Very good," Jet said, climbing up on the trashcan again. "Everyone listen up!" he shouted. "We're here to let the Earth King know that we students, as well as the citizens of the lower ring will not stand for the deplorable conditions in the city any longer. You all know what brought you here: food prices rising, education becoming too costly, no housing, and no healthcare, among many other things. We're here to make noise about those. So stay in the line, stick together, look out for each other."

Cheers came up from the throng. Katara found herself smiling as Longshot handed her a streamer. "_Well Mom, here it goes," _she thought as they began marching. The protesters behind her were yelling slogans. More waved banners. Some walked arm in arm to form human chains across the line.

Soon, they arrived at the Kuei Gate, an arched passage that stood at the bridge between the middle and upper rings. However, a detachment of Dai Li agents stood there, shields in hand as they guarded a barricade.

Katara instinctively reached for the thermos of water she kept at her side. "_Tui, La, I hope I won't have to use this."_ She could see that some of the other protesters carried sticks in their belts. Others had already taped their hands or were wearing brass knuckles.

"Attention all of you! You may not proceed further into the Upper Ring!" an agent with large sideburns bawled into a megaphone.

"We intend to speak with the Earth King," Jet shouted. "He has to hear his citizens before he makes decisions about the policies for this city."

"That is not possible. The King is occupied with many matters of state."

"We are not leaving then," another student replied from the middle.

"You have fifteen seconds to disperse," the agent ordered. "Fourteen, thirteen—"

"Push!" someone roared. Katara was nearly knocked off her feet as a group of students rushed forward and pressed themselves against the Dai Li's shields. For a moment, the surprised agents fell back before reinforcements came.

"Ten! Nine! Eight, Seven—" the agent shouted mercilessly as the makeshift barricade began to crack.

"Come on, we can't let them win!" Jet grunted as he shoved all his body weight against a shield.

"Four, Three, Two, One! Permission to earthbend given," the agent said to the forces waiting behind him.

Suddenly Katara felt the ground beneath her heave. "_No, this can't be happening!" _she thought as she fought to retain her balance. Jet cursed as he tried to keep his footing, but he slipped. Katara yelled as she saw him and other students go down. She almost jumped to pull him up, before a whizzing sound interrupted her. Earth pillars suddenly rose within the crowd, tossing some people up into the air and knocking out a good few.

"Run!" someone shouted. At this single word, the entire throng broke into panic. Katara saw Longshot get caught in the back by a flying earth fist. As she rushed to help him up, Smellerbee shoved her aside.

"You heard them! Get out of here!" she screamed.

"People need help!" Katara retorted.

"That will come later! For now, get out before the Dai Li start detaining people!" Smellerbee said before fleeing through the ensuing free for all. Katara narrowly missed being hit by a few more earth fists as she dashed through the melee. She could hear screaming as the Dai Li now flung themselves upon some of the fallen, tying them up for custody.

Katara yelped as she nearly slammed into one Dai Li agent who was standing over someone who had apparently tripped in the confusion. Almost reflexively, she formed a water whip with her hands and pounced.

000

_"Why do girls expect guys to do this for them?" _Zuko wondered as he walked Jin back to her apartment. The day had ended early for them both, they had unexpectedly met up on campus, and now they were right outside _her _place. Zuko had imagined that Jin lived in a cramped up flat like he and his friends did, but to his surprise, Jin's home turned out to be a small bungalow type house with a hedge and fence in front.

You want to come up?" Jin asked, putting a hand on his arm. "I baked some pastries yesterday."

Zuko shook his head. "I have to get back to work, Jin."

Jin's face fell into a frown. "You know, your Uncle is right. You need to spend more time with your friends. Why are you always so serious?"

Zuko looked down, feeling the answers grow thick on his tongue. "It's a long story. I'm sorry."

Jin smiled reassuringly before kissing his cheek. "You could tell me."

Zuko turned to look at her, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw people marching by carrying banners. "I think you should go inside, Jin," he said.

Jin nodded. "And you?"

"I've got to go before I get stuck." Zuko said before turning to leave. He could hear Jin enter her house and shut the door, going as far as locking it. "_Good girl,_" he thought as he ran down the street.

He cursed when he turned the corner and found the same green-clad protesters in front of him, only now they were more in number. "_This is insane," _he thought. He felt his insides lurch as he passed by a rather bedraggled group towards the rear of the group. The stench of their breath threatened to make him lose his lunch. He could see some people looking in his direction, pointing and whispering. Carefully, he pulled the hood of his jacket over his head to obscure his face.

Someone grabbed his arm. "You! Come and join us!" a spindly woman said.

Zuko shook her off. "No, I have to get back to work."

"So young and yet your blood already runs cold," the crone said bitterly before pushing past him.

Zuko quickened his steps to get out of the crush. He could hear the Dai Li agents up front beginning the countdown. "_They won't actually attack these people will they?" _he wondered.

Suddenly the ground cracked right near his feet. Zuko quickly leapt to the side even as the bystanders and protesters near him stumbled. As another tremor rocked the area near the gate, Zuko sprinted towards the nearest side street.

"Earth fists!" someone cried. Zuko ducked as a clod of earth nearly clipped his ear. He rolled a bit before jumping up and continuing on his way. He was almost in the clear when someone took a swipe at his legs. Pain coursed through his shin as well as his palms, which he used to break his fall.

_"Uncle is going to have to fish me out from prison," _Zuko thought as he saw a shadow come up behind him. As he braced himself to firebend in self-defense, he heard his attacker cry out before he was frozen in ice.

"Get up! Come on!" a familiar voice said as hands tugged at his collar.

Despite the pain, Zuko scrambled to his feet and quickly grabbed the arm of the girl who had rescued him. She squeaked before shaking him off and running alongside him. In a few minutes, they had reached the end of a quiet street. Suddenly a Dai Li agent sprang in front of them. Zuko quickly singed the man's robe before pushing his companion into a doorway then slamming the door behind them both.

He glared at the girl who was catching her breath. Even in the half-light of the storeroom, he was certain of her identity by the way her hair seemed to hang down in _loops_. "Katara, what did you think you were doing?!" he asked sharply. Now it became clear to him just who had instigated the rally. "_Someone's got to eviscerate Jet if the Dai Li haven't done so already." _

Katara folded her arms crossly. "Oh I don't know. _Saving your life_?"

"_Nice going, Zuko," _the firebender reprimanded himself inwardly. He stepped back to try the door, but found it locked. Suppressing a curse, he looked Katara in the eye. "Well, thanks for that, but how are we going to get out of this one?" he asked hotly.

"You were the one who pushed us both in here!" Katara retorted, gesturing to the room. "And I did hear that lock click."

"Maybe it's better off that way for now, while the Dai Li are looking for us," Zuko said darkly. "Get that ribbon off your shirt."

Katara scowled as she pulled off the protest ribbon. "What were you doing there anyhow?" she asked him.

"I was just passing by on my way back from meeting Jin when I got caught up in the melee," Zuko said. "What is it to you?"

"Nothing. I was just wondering if you were crazy enough to join a protest full of people who are mainly unsympathetic towards your nation."

"I may be scarred, insensitive, insane maybe, but I'm not _stupid_ if that's what you're implying."

Katara gave him a withering look. "You take everything so personally."

"And you don't?" Zuko asked a little acidly.

Katara's cheeks reddened slightly. "I wonder what this building is. If we're found here, we're going to get thrown out."

"Let's just hope that it happens when the dispersal is through." Zuko said. "What possessed you to join _Jet_ in this thing anyway?"

"I know you don't approve," Katara said. "Not like you ever approved of anything. But I grew up fighting for what's right. I can't just study here in Ba Sing Se and let other people suffer when I understand how it is to have difficulties."

Zuko merely found himself nodding. "You know, your brother did not like talking much about life back at home."

"It was, is that difficult. That's why my dad took a job overseas because it pays more. " Katara said. "I guess you may as well know the truth. I'm in Ba Sing Se on scholarship. If you had asked me a year ago if I had plans of pursuing my studies, I would have told you that I didn't know."

Zuko raised his remaining eyebrow. "Don't you think that today might compromise your situation?"

"Only if I get detained, booked, or something. Or if someone rats me out," Katara said. She gave Zuko what was meant to be a stern look, but the terror was evident in her gaze. "You won't, will you?"

Zuko paused as he regarded her. "_Sokka, Aang, Toph, Suki, Yue, and Uncle are going to kill me for this," _he thought. Still, he knew that enough damage had been done. "Not a word from me," he said, though he couldn't believe that it was his voice that carried the line.

Katara smiled at him. "Thank you. For that, and for saving my life."

"I do what I have to do," Zuko said matter-of-factly. He pressed his ear to the door and listened for any noises on the street. To his relief, the more normal hustle and bustle of passing cars was beginning to return to the neighborhood. "I think it's safe to come out now."

"We're going to have to disguise ourselves," Katara said, opening her backpack. "Luckily, I brought a few extra things."

"Is this one of the crazy things you learned from your brother?"

"No, from Jet."

"Oh. Guess he's good for something after all,"

000

Even before he entered the tea café, Zuko could already see Toph and Iroh waiting at the door. "You're late, Sparky," Toph said calmly over her cup of black tea.

"Where were you today, Zuko? Have you heard of the trouble in the streets?" Iroh asked concernedly.

"I did. I had to hide out till it blew over." Zuko replied.

Iroh nodded, but disbelief was still evident in his countenance. "I see that you had time to comb your hair," he said, pointing to Zuko's hair, which was slicked down.

"_Not even Katara liked it that way, but we had to hide from the Dai Li," _the young man thought. "Yeah, someone told me my previous hair looked awful."

"I guess it's probably Jin, since I know that Sweetness likes your scruffy hair," Toph quipped.

Zuko glared at her. "What was that about?"

"Are you that clueless?" Toph grinned. "She's fixated over it."

"How would you know that?" Zuko demanded before the café phone rang. Since he was the nearest, he managed to pick up the receiver before either Toph or Iroh could get to it.

"Hello, Lotus Tea Café," he greeted.

"That's a very cute greeting _Zuzu_, you should use it more often," a female voice said at the other end of the line.

Zuko felt pure ice run down his spine as he recognized the owner of the voice. "What do you want, Azula?" he asked. He made a mental note to check that his sister did not reverse the charges of the call.

"You make it sound like it's a crime for me to call to check up on _my dear brother_. How's Uncle Teabag?" Azula's smooth voice asked.

"He's great. How's the Fire Nation Academy?"

"Same old. Really Zuzu, after today, you should not sound like such a scared turtleduck on the phone."

"_After today—what?!" _Zuko thought. "Excuse me?"

"Don't be daft. I saw you on the news from the satellite TV." Azula said coldly. "You were at that stupid protest. You were running with all those idiots."

"And you called all the way to rib me about that?" Zuko retorted, lowering his voice so that neither Toph or Iroh could hear. "_I won't tell her I was just passing, that I had met a friend, and while at the rally I bailed out another. She'll use that against me." _

"I'm not ribbing you, I'm warning you." Azula said. "You know where you stand in Father's books already."

"You don't have to remind me," Zuko said, fighting to keep his voice level even as his scar began to smart.

"Father hasn't seen the news yet," Azula said more brightly. "I'll keep my mouth shut this time, Zuzu. You were running, and that's probably punishment enough. Just don't expect me to be as merciful next time."

"Alright, fine. And there won't be a next time, I swear it," Zuko said tersely. _"This kid is sick," _he thought.

"You do realize I'm doing you a huge favor, Zuzu," Azula said. "Oh, I have to go. And Mai sends her regards, by the way."

Zuko slammed the phone as the line went dead. He caught his uncle looking at him. "You don't have to tell me. I have to be less acrimonious with my sister," the young man said tiredly.

"No, I was about to tell you that you don't have to let yourself be manipulated by that girl." Iroh said sagely. "You're in a different place, in very different circumstances from her."

"_Against my will actually," _Zuko thought. Still he forced himself to smile. "I'll go get some chai."

Just then, Toph's phone rang. "Hey? Snoozles?" she greeted. "I haven't seen her, but I'll ask Sir Iroh and Sparky."

Iroh glanced at Toph. "What's that about?"

"Sokka is still at school and he's looking for Katara. Aang says he hasn't seen her since earlier this afternoon," Toph informed him.

Zuko looked up from the counter. "She's home."

"Are you sure?" Toph asked.

"Yes, I saw to that," Zuko said absent-mindedly.

Toph grinned mischievously. "Sparky says she's fine. She's back at your apartment. I don't know how he knows, why don't you ask him tomorrow?" she said. "Not now, he's cooking. Yeah, catch you in Anthropology, Snoozles."

Iroh elbowed Zuko. "So you were with Katara today after all?"

Zuko paled as he realized what had just happened. "_I think I'd better fake an illness tomorrow." _


	9. Of Plans and Bad News

_A/N: Reviews feed the soul._

**Chapter 8: Of Plans and Bad News**

"Class, we're going to have our next exam on Monday…"

Professor Zei did not even have time to add "but it will be easy" before the entire class groaned and protested. In the back row, Suki sighed while Yue dutifully put a clean sheet of paper in her binder notebook. In the third row however, Aang groaned and flipped his notebook open while Sokka banged his head on the table.

"Quit it Snoozles, you're making it hard for me to write!" Toph protested, flicking a pebble right at her friend.

Katara ducked the missile as it whizzed past her to pelt Sokka's arm. "Stop it you two," she chided. As she picked up her pen, she could not resist sneaking a glance at Zuko, who seemed to be pretty absorbed in his work. "_How can he stay so calm after what happened yesterday?" _she wondered as she watched him brush back his black hair from his face. She caught a glimpse of his eyes, and for a moment she thought he had glanced her way as well. Embarrassed, she looked back down at her paper.

"I repeat, our exam will be about basic concepts in anthropology, different fields of study, as well as everything on cultural universals," Professor Zei said firmly. "If you need help, ask your classmates for notes, or look up materials in the library. Good luck studying and have a good weekend."

"Yeah, a weekend spent with the books," Aang said in a downcast voice. "I was hoping to practice bending or do something more fun."

"I'm sure it won't take you the whole _weekend_ to finish reviewing," Katara said reassuringly as they gathered up their things.

"If you need help, you can just ask my sister," Sokka chimed in. "She's been taking notes for each lesson."

Katara's eyes narrowed at her brother. "Did you take notes at all, Sokka?"

"I—um…well, yours are color-coded."

Katara shook her head disapprovingly just as Zuko cleared his throat behind her. "Katara, can I ask you a favor?"

"What?" she replied, turning to look at him.

"Could I photocopy your notes?" Zuko asked her in an oddly earnest tone.

Katara sighed resignedly, seeing that a rather supplicant look was also forming on Aang's face. "You boys are hopeless," she said, fishing her anthropology notes out of her satchel and handing them to Zuko. "Don't lose these."

Toph shifted slightly. "Someone's coming."

"Katara, you're alright!" Jet called from the other end of the hallway.

The sound of his voice made Katara feel as if she had been splashed with North Pole water. Quickly, she grabbed Sokka's arm. "Don't even think about beating up Jet," she hissed.

"He endangered you yesterday by bringing you to the rally!" Sokka retorted.

"I was there because I wanted to be," Katara shot back.

She smiled worriedly at Jet as he approached them. "What happened there?" she asked, pointing to the purplish bruise around his left eye.

"I got clipped by a few rocks," Jet said. "Don't worry, unlike some other marks, it will fade," he added, giving Zuko a sardonic look.

Zuko crossed his arms. "You'd better cover that up, or the authorities will come after you."

Jet ignored this jibe. "When Duke told me that you were nowhere to be found, I was worried. I thought the Dai Li had detained you," he said.

"I had help with getting clear," Katara said, glancing Zuko's way as she said this. "Where are the others?" she asked.

"Pipsqueak and Smellerbee made it out fine," Jet said. "Longshot was detained for an hour, but he was released for treatment. He'll be back tomorrow."

"That's good news, but I think we have things to do like Anthropology review," Sokka said quickly.

Katara rolled her eyes. "I think Jet and I have some business to settle. You guys go on ahead."

"Are you sure?" Aang asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Katara replied.

"Don't take too long," Sokka said more congenially.

"I won't." She sighed with relief as she watched Sokka and their friends go to the

elevators.

"Katara, about yesterday, I know that a lot of things went wrong, but I want to make it up to you," Jet said, lowering his voice.

"Tell that to everyone who got detained or hurt."

"It was not my fault that the Dai Li came after us like that."

"I know, but why do you have to make it up to _me?"_ Katara asked.

Jet looked her in the eye. "Because you were supposed to be with me. I was supposed to take care of you. To be honest, I don't think I can be happy unless I make amends."

A smile played on her lips as she took in the way he was talking to her. "How so?"

"Would dinner tomorrow night suffice?" he asked, taking her hand.

Katara felt her breath catch in her throat. She had been wishing for, even expecting this to happen. "Jet, is this supposed to be a date?"

"Yes," Jet said confidently. "Unless you think otherwise."

"I don't," Katara grinned. "So we'll meet at seven in the evening?"

"Can't think of a better time," Jet said. "I'll pick you up at your apartment."

Katara nodded. "1005, Liu Building on 56th street. That's in the middle ring."

"I'll keep that in mind," Jet said. "Where are you off to after this?"

"I think I'll meet Aang and Toph for lunch. We always eat together after Anthropology while my brother and Zuko go to their next classes," Katara said.

"Oh," Jet said, looking a little disappointed. "See you tomorrow then."

Katara smiled before heading to the stairs. She felt her necklace shift in her shirt. "_I wonder how Grangran felt when she got this necklace," _she thought. Though Katara had inherited the necklace from her mother, it had originally been her grandmother's. She couldn't exactly picture what had driven the old woman to save the pendant all these years, but Katara knew that the giver of the pendant had to still be somewhat special in her grandmother's heart.

"_If only it wouldn't be so hard to call Grangran from here," _Katara thought wistfully as she went down the landing. Her mind was abuzz with questions and stories, more of the former than the latter. Absent-mindedly, she reached into the pocket of her jacket. Her hand came across something hard and toothed.

"_Yuck, it's Zuko's comb," _she realized, drawing her hand out of her pocket as if she had touched hot coals. She now remembered that she had worn this jacket on the way home, while Zuko was escorting her to her place the day before.

Her mind was suddenly abuzz with ways to tease him when she got around to returning his comb. "_He's going to be so embarrassed," _she realized. She could practically picture his responses to almost every jibe she made. "_Yes, that is how infuriating he can be sometimes." _

Still, she had to admit that he had surprised her. It had only been after he had said goodbye at the door of her apartment that the full reality of the situation dawned on her. "_He is not supposed to be at those things, yet he shows up and saves me anyway," _she thought. "_But he doesn't believe in these things. And obviously the others did not set him up to watching over me. So what was he doing there?" _she wondered.

"_Maybe I'm just better off not knowing for now. It's not fair to Jet if I am to keep on thinking like this," _she decided as she went to join Aang and Toph at the table on the far end of the café. Somehow, she knew she felt guilty, but she could not yet put her finger on the culprit.

000

"I swear, if we were fighting with actual _blades_, you'd be dead by now Sokka," Zuko said, clutching a heavy stick as he circled his opponent. The late afternoon sun's golden rays gave a sharp, somewhat dramatic lighting to the yard at the back of the tea shop, which for now served as a makeshift practice ring.

"Whose idea was it to use these cheap sticks anyway?" Sokka said, lunging forward. Zuko parried his friend's attack before dealing a riposte that sent Sokka jumping backwards and almost crashing into Suki, who was sitting on a rattan chair.

"If you guys want me to be the referee, keep your fighting to the circle!" Suki said, half-shoving Sokka back into the ring she had drawn in the dirt.

Sokka growled as he tried to attack again, but Zuko threw him off with yet another block. "How many points do I have?"

Yue looked over at Suki's scoring sheet. "Ten, to Zuko's fifteen."

"What?!" Sokka yelled, hurling his sparring stick. This time, the stick nearly hit Zuko in the face.

"Will you please use that thing properly?" Zuko said, jamming the stick into the ground in annoyance.

Yue shook her head. "Now I know why you might need a healer for _sparring_."

Sokka gave his audience a baleful look. "I can deal with bruises by myself."

"Try broken ribs," Yue said grimly, walking over to dust off Sokka's shirt.

"I wish I could _give_ Jet some broken ribs," Sokka said, sitting down between her and Suki. "After what he did yesterday, bringing my sister to that rally, I don't think I can trust him. I'm not sure whether I should be angry that she was so reckless about it, or be happy that she got out fine."

"She made her choice to be there," Zuko pointed out. "There's nothing you can do about that," he said a little more reflectively. "_Though to be honest, she's got a backbone if she can stand up for what she believes in." _

Yue fiddled with her necklace. "Have you heard the news? Some Fire Nation officials are angry at some of the slogans used in yesterday's protest. If the People's Rights Party isn't careful, they'll be in trouble on two fronts."

Suki glanced nervously from Yue to Zuko. "Are you sure you should be saying that?" she asked.

Zuko shrugged. "It's of no use to me. I don't keep any ties to home."

"Gangway!" a voice pierced the air. The teenagers only managed to get clear just before something huge, white and furry crashed into the yard.

"Sorry guys," Aang said sheepishly as he climbed out of the saddle that was atop the beast he was riding. "Appa fell asleep in mid-flight."

"Aang, what is that?" Sokka asked his friend warily, pointing to the enormous animal that was now yawning and opening its brown eyes sleepily.

"My sky bison," Aang explained. "His name is Appa. I've had him since I was little," he said, giving his companion an affectionate pat on the snout. Hey Appa, meet Sokka, Zuko, Suki, and Yue"

Suki cautiously approached Appa, who proceeded to give her a sloppy lick. "How do you keep him here in Ba Sing Se?" she asked Aang curiously as she wiped herself off.

"On the roof. I always take him flying after school. Actually, I was coming back from giving Toph a lift when Appa had to land," Aang said.

"You were giving Toph a lift where?" Sokka asked.

"To her apartment. She had to rush home since she heard her parents were dropping by," Aang explained just as another furry creature landed right on his head. "Hey Momo, what took you so long?"

"Now what is _that_?" Zuko asked. If the sight of a six-legged, ten-ton flying bison was strange enough, the very presence of the chirping, wide-eyed animal that was now skittering up Aang's arm was almost unnerving.

"This is my lemur, Momo," Aang explained. "I think he's hungry. Have you got some peaches?"

"Inside, I think," Zuko said. As he ducked back inside the kitchen, he caught sight of someone walking past the counter, holding a cup of tea.

Katara stopped short when she saw him. "Hi Zuko. Where's Jin?" she asked.

"She had to meet up with someone," Zuko replied matter-of-factly.

"Is my brother outside?" she asked, gesturing to the backdoor.

"Yeah. Aang just arrived too," Zuko said, picking up a peach from a basket. "On a sky bison."

"Oh, he brought Appa?" Katara said delightedly as she walked past him, the loops in her hair bouncing as she hurried to the yard.

"_She should wear her hair down more often," _Zuko found himself thinking as he got a tin of biscuits and went back outside in time to see Sokka trying to stop Momo from pulling on his ponytail amid Suki and Yue's laughter. In the meantime, Katara was tentatively running her hands through Appa's fur, listening to Aang telling a story.

Sokka frowned as he finally saved his hair from Momo's clutches. "What is it with your lemur and hair?" he asked Aang. "He spoiled my wolf-tail!"

"I wouldn't know," Aang said, patting his own bald head. Even Zuko couldn't hold back a chuckle at this quip.

"By the way, I think this belongs to you," Katara said as she reached into her jacket pocket and handed a comb to Zuko.

He stared at her in consternation as he snatched the comb from her grip. "What are you doing with that?"

"You forgot to get it back from me," she said. "Not like you use it on a regular basis."

Zuko felt his cheeks beginning to grow hot. "Better than those hair loops of yours. You should do something about them."

"This is a Water-Tribe hairstyle, and I don't go to school looking like I just woke up," Katara retorted.

"_Agni, why does she always do this to me?_" Zuko wondered as he watched Suki, Aang, and Sokka unsuccessfully hold back another round of giggles.

"Before this discussion deteriorates, I've got something for all of you," Yue said, reaching into her skirt pocket and bringing out three cards. "Some of the student orgs are throwing a fundraising party tomorrow night at the Chin Dance Club. I'd go, but I have a meeting that I'm convening. Anyone want these? There's a fourth one which I gave to Toph earlier today."

Suki shook her head. "I'm going out of town with my judo team for a competition. Maybe next time."

Aang peered with interest at the tickets. "I think I'll go."

"Alright, that's one. Sokka, Katara, are you interested?" Yue asked.

Katara looked down uneasily. "Sorry, but Jet invited me to dinner tomorrow."

"What?! And you're going?" Sokka blurted out.

"It's just dinner, Sokka," Katara said, narrowing her eyes at him.

"_I'm glad I'm not around to watch Azula give these problems to Dad," _Zuko thought till he became aware of the others looking at him. "Before you ask, I'm not interested in going out," he said.

"That's a pity," Suki said. "It's a good opportunity for you to take Jin out."

"I've got things to do." Zuko said just as the door opened to the yard.

"How's sword practice coming along?" Iroh asked.

"It went well, Uncle," Zuko replied, barely glancing at Iroh.

"Are there any other students in the café?" Yue asked Iroh. "I've got invites here that I don't want to waste."

"Oh, these things," Iroh said amusedly. "Give me two of those, for my nephew and Jin."

"Uncle, it's short notice," Zuko said. "What if Jin has plans of her own?"

"You won't know until you ask. Call her right now, Zuko," Iroh said more sternly. It took all of Zuko's willpower not to give his uncle a dagger look as he strode past him into the tea café.

As he dialed Jin's number, he could hear Katara trying to explain herself to Sokka. "_Definitely reckless," _he thought. "_And what is she eating that is making her get all delusional about Jet?" _

He almost did not hear Jin pick up on the other end of the line. "Hello, Jin speaking," she greeted.

"Hey, Zuko here," the young man said.

"Hello!" Jin exclaimed excitedly. "What is this about?"

"Um, Jin, I've got invites for the party at the Chin Dance Club," Zuko said, almost regretting the words as he said them. "It's tomorrow night. You want to come?"

"Really? Most definitely I'm going. I was wondering where to get those invites," Jin confessed. "So we'll meet at six-thirty?"

"Jin, the party doesn't start till eight."

"I know, but don't you want to get something to eat beforehand?"

Zuko sighed, practically hearing his common sense (or lack thereof) taunting him. "Fine, six-thirty then."


	10. Synchronicity

_A/N: Keep the reviews coming, guys. _

**Chapter 9: Synchronicity**

"I hate to break it to you, but there is no way you're going to get this old thing completely fixed up by tonight."

If murder had not exactly been against his conscience, Zuko would have gladly slammed the hood of Iroh's old van right on Haru. "When I need your commentary on my mechanical skills, I'll _ask_ for it, thank you very much," he snapped as he rummaged through his toolbox. "_At least this is more interesting than studying for Anthropology," _

"I don't know Sparky, but don't you think that tinkering with a car just eight hours before a date is cutting it a bit close?" Toph asked.

"Because there's no way I'm taking public transportation tonight," Zuko replied tersely, tightening a few connections between the vacuum hoses. "Besides, your parents will have a fit if you and Aang tag along with me and Jin on a bus."

"They'd have a fit even if I was living in a sealed box," Toph said a little curtly as she wiped her dirty palms on her pants, spoiling the new fabric.

"I take that last night did not go well then?" Zuko asked her. Toph morosely shook her head.

Haru straightened up and stepped away from the car. "Just give your parents time. They'll get the picture eventually," he said reassuringly.

Toph brushed her black bangs out of her eyes. "My parents don't even know about _half_ of the things I can do. They don't know I can help fix cars or even earthbend. If I told them, they'd do worse than just throw a fit."

"_How does she manage to keep these secrets?" _Zuko wondered as he gave the engine an once-over. "I think we can try this thing out," he said confidently.

Haru tapped on the doorjamb. "Aang, we're going to take the van on a test drive. You coming?" he called to the teenager reviewing in the kitchen.

Aang looked up from reading his copy of Katara's notes. "Oh okay. Could we go by a store? I have to get a new brush for Appa."

"And I need to go home," Toph said. "I have to get some studying in before tonight. Are you done, Twinkletoes?"

"Almost," Aang grinned. "Katara was right about my not taking too long to review for the test."

Zuko smirked as he recalled the previous day's conversation after class. "_How does Sokka live with a girl who insists on mothering everyone like that?" _he wondered to himself. Then again, he figured that at least on his end, such treatment was pretty beneficial.

He went into the front room of the café, where Iroh was making some mint tea. "I'm going to take the van on a test drive, Uncle," he announced.

Iroh fished in his pocket for the car keys. "Are they all going with you?"

"Apparently so."

"Zuko, _be careful," _Iroh said. "I don't want to get a call that you rear-ended something or have to explain to the Bei Fongs and Haru's dad that you got into an accident."

"I drive carefully, Uncle," Zuko said in an irritated voice. "_Alright, so maybe I was a bit careless when I first came here, but I've improved a little!" _

As if fate was out to remind him, when he stepped back outside, he saw his friends examining a huge scratch on one of the car doors. "Where did that come from?" Aang asked curiously.

"Out-running a Fire Nation official who recognized me," Zuko said. "I tried driving up a narrow alley to escape."

"I didn't know you were a fugitive from the law," Haru said warily.

"No, just a fugitive from something more personal," Zuko said curtly as he opened the car door and slid into the driver's seat. Toph and Haru got into the back, while Aang rode shotgun. "_If all of this stupid agitation from the People's Rights Party gives cause for my father to come to this city, I swear I'm going to do worse to Jet than an Agni Kai can to a non-firebender," _Zuko promised as he started up the engine.

"Alright, we're in business!" Toph whooped as they pulled out of the driveway. The teenagers cruised down the street and headed for the main road, where the traffic was still relatively light.

"How fast can this van go?" Aang asked Zuko cheekily.

"Watch," Zuko said, flooring the gas pedal. He had not told Iroh of some of the tweaks he had been making to the engine to optimize it for maximum speed. Haru's eyes widened with fright while Toph and Aang laughed with excitement as the van sped for several blocks.

Zuko stepped on the brakes as they finally arrived at a red light near the area of the university. He saw a bus parked outside the gates. "That must be the bus for the judo team," he said. Sure enough, he caught a glimpse of Sokka and Yue seeing Suki and her friends off. He had to kill the grin on his face as he saw how Yue's hand was dangerously close to Sokka's wrist. "_Now there's an interesting situation." _

Toph shifted in her seat. "Is Snoozles ever going to make up his mind?"

"If I know Sokka, I think he'll enjoy the attention for as long as he can, but he'll do the right thing when the time comes," Zuko replied. "_But as to his choice, I suppose not even an Avatar can tell him what to do." _

Aang watched as the light turned green. "You think that Katara will be alright with Jet tonight?"

"I don't know," Zuko said, glancing at the airbender. "_Does this kid have a crush on Katara?" _he wondered. "Why do you ask?"

As if to confirm Zuko's suspicion, Aang's face reddened slightly. "It's just that I know that Sokka doesn't approve, and I don't think I like it either."

"Katara's got to come to her own decision about him," Haru offered. "She's got a mind of her own."

"Maybe too much," Zuko quipped.

"Just curious, why do you hate Jet so badly?" Aang said. "I mean, the way you two act, it's as if you were eternal enemies."

"_To be honest, I'm not completely sure either," _Zuko realized. "He's got this irrational hatred against all firebenders, he's a crazed fanatic, and he's more than willing to do dangerous and illegal things supposedly for a cause."

"Are you quite sure the animosity does not stem from elsewhere?" Haru asked skeptically. Toph whispered something to him and the two earthbenders burst out laughing.

"_I don't think I want to know what that's about," _Zuko thought as he gripped the wheel more tightly.

000

After dropping everyone off, Zuko headed straight back for the tea café. As he maneuvered the van into the gate, he noticed a sleek black car parked near the front of the establishment. The sight of the red decal on the car's door somehow soured Zuko's gut so that it was all he could do to keep a straight face as he went into the café.

"Uncle, I'm back—" he greeted before he realized that his relative was talking to a rather familiar customer.

"Care for some ginseng tea _Prince_ Zuko?" Captain Zhao said from his seat in the corner. The Fire Nation official was dressed in the greens and whites of the Earth Kingdom, but his hair was still up in the traditional topknot.

Zuko shook his head. "I do not drink ginseng tea." He busied himself making chai, all the while listening to the conversation nearby. "_Maybe if he has news of Father, it will be worth his dropping by." _

Captain Zhao clucked his tongue. "Your nephew has not changed much, General Iroh," he said to the older man seated with him.

"Why should he? He's still the same honest and loyal boy who left the comforts of home to learn more about the world around him," Iroh replied philosophically.

Captain Zhao put down his cup of ginseng tea as his eyes took in the simple yet elegant furnishings of the tea café. "I imagine you must get a fair share of student customers in this place."

"We serve anyone," Iroh said.

"This is an unusual setting for you, General Iroh. I imagine you could think of better places than Ba Sing Se to live out the rest of years…away from your memories."

Iroh seemed to grit his teeth. "Perhaps, but for now the city does nicely for me. The shadows of the past should not cloud the potentials of the present, I believe."

Captain Zhao nodded, seemingly understanding. "That is wise. I suppose then that a man with your state of mind does not miss the glories of the Fire Nation and its efforts in other nations? Or perhaps the better memories of your military career do not appeal to you?"

Zuko nearly dropped the tea he was about to put on the stove to boil. "_Spirits, is my uncle oblivious?" _he wondered. He could see the pain in his uncle's eyes at the mention of the past. "_Which inevitably revives my dear cousin gone too soon," _Zuko realized. He also knew the offer that lay behind Captain Zhao's words—after all, he had considered it himself time and again. "_But I don't want it for myself, not yet at least." _

Iroh merely smiled. "I have my tea café, Zuko has his studies. That will be enough for now."

"Is it really?" Captain Zhao asked, directing his question to Zuko.

The young man took a deep breath. "Until my father summons me home, it is."

A slight smile played on the military man's face as he drained the last of his ginseng tea. "I ask your forgiveness for having to take my leave early, but I have work to do. Thank you for the tea, General Iroh," he said as he got up.

"Yes, it was good talking to an old comrade," Iroh said as Captain Zhao made his exit. Zuko watched the door close before coming out from behind the counter.

"Uncle, are you mad?" he spluttered.

"Mad? What for?" Iroh asked.

Zuko's palm met his forehead. "Uncle, you know that Fire Nation officials don't just come to Ba Sing Se on pleasure trips."

"Captain Zhao is merely stopping in Ba Sing Se to seek medical help for one of the injured soldiers in his detachment. They are merely passing through on their way to the colonies," Iroh said calmly.

"That is what they want us all to believe! Uncle, they are spies."

"You have no proof of that. And it is not the custom here in these parts to deny anyone hospitality."

"Still—" Zuko began before he saw the twinkle in Iroh's eyes. His jaw dropped as it dawned on him what had really transpired in the captain's presence. "I've been had, haven't I?"

"When dealing with crafty opponents, sometimes one must appear like a fool when in reality one is seeking to outmaneuver them," Iroh explained.

Zuko took a sip of his chai, but nearly spat it out owing to its being too hot to drink. "So you really knew what Captain Zhao's true purpose here was?" he asked, fighting off the pain on his tongue. He realized though that it wasn't the only part of him that was hurting. "_Maybe I'll get news of Father some other time." _

Iroh nodded as he put his hands on the table. "The Fire Nation is desperately seeking information. They are also testing the allegiances of the Fire Nation immigrants and students here. Still, there is no reason for us to worry yet about what our countrymen may do to us." An odd smile spread over Iroh's face. "Actually, of all the Fire Nation citizens here, you are the freest of them all."

"Freest? I am only waiting to graduate, and to be summoned home to take on my duties as the son of the Fire Lord."

"True, but there is still the interim. By the way, if you have time, I can help you practice some firebending forms later."

Zuko took another taste of his slightly-cooled chai. "Maybe. I suppose I should get some studying done first," he said, heading for the stairs.

"By the way Zuko," Iroh called after him. "Aang and Toph are accompanying you and Jin tonight, am I correct?"

"Yes, why?" Zuko asked from the top of the stairway.

"Right now, with Zhao and his troops nearby, it is important for the last Airbender, or rather the Avatar to retain his cover." Iroh said sternly. "I had a word with him this morning about being a little more careful about some things such as his bison, but I am afraid that some damage might have already been done."

000

The moon was full that night, and Katara knew that it accounted somewhat for the tingling she felt in her limbs as she looked out the window of the cozy restaurant that she and Jet were dining in.

"_The other half of it must be from him," _Katara thought as she watched Jet settle the bill. He had been a gentleman all evening, a far cry from the sordid picture that her brother's warnings were supposed to paint. In fact, he looked quite dashing in a clean green button-down shirt and black pants, without the vest he was so accustomed to wearing.

"So is this evening over, Jet?" she asked him lightly as they got up from the plush restaurant chairs. She smoothed out the collar of her white jacket, which was draped over her dark blue v-neck dress. "Or have you got something else in mind?"

"I hope you aren't eager to cut our date short," Jet said, giving her a meaningful look. "What time did your brother say you'd have to be back?"

"Eleven-thirty," Katara laughed, flipping her braid a little. "I feel like I'm not going to have an evening."

"It's not even nine yet," Jet pointed out. He opened his wallet and brought out two small cards. The lettering on them was barely visible in the darkness. "And I've got passes for tonight's best gathering."

"It better not involve banners and slogans," Katara said. Still, though she knew that Jet was not up to anything awful or dangerous, she couldn't quite shake that nagging feeling in the back of her mind. "_Like the most sensible thing would be to suggest going elsewhere." _

Jet shook his head and offered a hand. "Come on, it's just a short walk."

Katara took his hand tentatively, finding to her surprise that Jet's fingers were unusually smooth. "_Smoother than mine, even," _she noted. Still, she knew that the fit was not exactly right, as if she was not meant to hold his hand too long lest her fingers start to hurt.

Still, she followed him down the sidewalk, past the pumping music and sparkling lights of the various nightspots. At last, Jet stopped at a foyer with a bored-looking doorman. The pudgy attendant took one look at the passes in Jet's hand before opening the door. "Bet they won't walk out straight," Katara heard the doorman mutter before the door was shut.

She and Jet were standing on a sort of landing that led down to a dance floor that was already packed with people. A sizable crowd was milling about near the bar set up to the left of the floor. The music throbbed through the room as purple, yellow, and green spotlights cut through the dark and lit up different parts of the premises.

"Jet, who's organizing this party?" Katara shouted to her date.

"Some other students," Jet hollered. "Let's go in for a bit,"

"I'd rather stay away from the bar for a while, if you get what I mean."

"Fine then. Want to dance, Katara?"

Katara nodded enthusiastically as _she_ led Jet to the dance floor. She knew that this was the very same party that her friends were likely to be at, but still, she was not afraid. "_And with this crowd, what are the chances of bumping into anyone?" _she thought as she began moving in time to the beat. She felt the music flow through her arms as she swayed her hips, making the dress of her skirt flare up a little. Jet was also dancing, with his hair flopping every which way as his feet barely made contact with the floor. Katara jumped back to give Jet some room to breakdance as the crowd looked on. He nearly knocked into another dancer, but recovered quickly and finished a spin.

"Close one!" Katara exclaimed as she helped him to his feet.

He got behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Are you going to go in the middle of the circle?" he asked as they moved together.

Katara shook her head as she waved her hands in the air. "After what you did, no."

Jet would have pulled her closer, were it not for a whole group of conga dancers that suddenly bounded through the crowd. Katara found herself pushed forward, right into a whole group of strangers.

"Jet! Where are you?" she called, looking around for her partner. She nearly got bumped by a gyrating duo as she stood on tiptoe to catch a better glimpse of the crowd. The spotlights had been turned off, and now a pulsing strobe light was flashing, making every single movement on the floor starkly defined. Katara felt her head start to spin as she shielded her eyes from the glare.

Suddenly, she stumbled into another person who happened to be standing around on the floor instead of dancing. A more callused hand caught hers as strong arms pulled her into a spin that took her out of the path of another group dancing nearby.

Even with the confusing lighting, Katara recognized the scar on this person's face. "Why aren't you dancing?" she asked him as he steadied her.

"I'm looking for Jin," Zuko shouted over the band's loud drum riff. Like her, he was also having some difficulty seeing. Still, he looked more relaxed wearing a red polo and khakis. "Have you seen her?"

"No. I can't find Jet either," Katara said, still bobbing to the music. It dawned on her that it hadn't quite occurred to Zuko to ask what _she_ and Jet were doing on the premises. "Where are Aang and Toph?"

"Down front, I think," Zuko replied a little diffidently. The lighting had reverted to spotlights, and he had stopped squinting.

Katara realized that Zuko was also beginning to tap his feet in time to the beat, and that they had not let go of each other's hands yet. "You can't keep standing around like this," she said, trying to lead him to dance.

A slight smirk spread across Zuko's face as he followed her, but soon after he stepped forwards and took her other hand. "There, that's better," he said.

Katara smiled with amusement mingled with a little wonder at how smoothly their movements seemed to connect, even now as he was taking the lead. "_It's as if dancing with him is the easiest thing ever made," _she realized as they parted for a moment only to come back together, this time with one of his hands at her waist, and both her hands on his shoulders.

Zuko stopped moving, as if their sudden closeness stunned him. He turned red for a moment before letting go of her. "I think you should find Jet now," he said.

Katara stepped back. "Good luck finding Jin," she said, feeling oddly reluctant to let the words spill.

Zuko nodded by way of acknowledgment. "Thanks for the dance," he said almost as an afterthought, though he had not bothered to conceal the smile on his face.

Katara felt as if suddenly her skin and even the air around her were far too warm for comfort. "_That's what comes from dancing with a firebender," _she told herself as she continued making her way through the crowd. A bubble machine was running now, filling the air with clear bubbles that caught the iridescence of the lights.

As she sneaked around a group of hyperactive breakdancers, she noticed Jin furtively looking around as well. Jin's eyes widened as she caught sight of Katara.

"Have you seen Zuko?" Jin asked the younger girl.

Katara pointed to the right. "He was there just a minute ago."

Jin smiled gratefully as she smoothed down her white shirt over her jeans. "Thanks! Who are you with, by the way?"

"I _was_ with Jet," Katara replied.

"Oh, him?" Jin said. "I haven't seen him though."

Just then, Aang and Toph appeared behind Jin. "Katara! What are you doing here?" Aang greeted quizzically. He was dressed in a bright yellow t-shirt and orange baggy pants paired with sneakers.

"Jet had invites," Katara admitted. "Are you enjoying yourselves?"

"I'm glad I can't see the lights. The music is great though," Toph said. She was wearing a black tank top and cut off jeans, but still she was barefoot.

"_Did I just get stood up?" _Katara wondered as she fished for her phone. To her dismay, she found no message or calls from Jet.

"Looking for someone?" Toph asked. "Because if you're looking for Jet, Twinkletoes and I kind of found him with Longshot and Pipsqueak at the bar."

Jin shook her head. "Was Jet supposed to drive you back?"

"Yes," Katara said, gritting her teeth. "I'll catch up with you guys later," she said as she strode off in the direction of the bar.

Jet was there, laughing hard at one of Pipsqueak's rare jokes while Longshot merely nursed yet another shot of liquor. On the bar, whole line of empty glasses stood suspiciously near the boys.

Katara went up to Jet and tapped his elbow. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Having some refreshment, what else?" Jet said. "Care for some?"

"No," Katara said firmly. "How many have you had?"

"Only five. Katara, it's nothing."

"Yeah right. Look, I'm not letting you drive _me_ home in this state," Katara said crossly. She looked at Pipsqueak and Longshot, who were both giving her uneasy looks. "And you two don't look much better."

Longshot's look turned baleful. "We're fine, Katara. You don't need to worry about him or us."

"_Tui, can't I even get a date to end decently?" _Katara wondered. "We'd better go," she said, reaching for Jet's arm.

"You're not letting me drive, and you don't drive yourself," Jet pointed out. "How do you expect to leave otherwise?"

"I'll find a way!" Katara snapped. "_And even if Jet can drive in his condition, Sokka will still give it to him for being this intoxicated. So much for making it up to me," _she thought as she tugged on Jet's sleeve.

"Just a few more minutes. We have important things to discuss," Jet said.

"Fine then," Katara glowered at him before storming off. She noticed with unmingled glee that she had somehow managed to spill Jet's drink all over him while they were talking. She found her friends standing around on the fringes of the crowd.

Aang cringed when he saw her. "So that didn't go well?" he asked.

Katara sighed. "Do you guys have a ride?"

"Sparky here brought Iroh's van," Toph grinned, pointing to Zuko.

"What happened to Jet?" Jin asked Katara.

"What else can happen to him at a bar?" Katara said. "I hate to ask you, Zuko, but can I hitch a ride out of this place?"

Zuko merely nodded. "We'd better go. Toph has a curfew."

"A curfew? I thought you live alone," Katara said to her friend.

"Yeah, but my parents bribed the concierge to log in what time I get in or out of the building," Toph muttered. "It's technically not a curfew, Sparky."

Katara glanced at her watch. "Sokka gave me till eleven-thirty."

"That doesn't leave us much time then," Jin said. "Should we go get Jet?"

"Forget him. I'm not having that lout in my car," Zuko said curtly.

Suddenly a groan came from the bar along with the sound of Pipsqueak and Longshot moving their chairs to help rescue an already passed out Jet. "I think Jet miscalculated on those drinks," Longshot's voice said.

Zuko gave Katara a withering look. "He stays in the farthest seat then," he said, going to help her bail out the unconscious activist.


	11. Scar Tissue

A/N: Yes, life can only get a little more complicated from here on

_A/N: Yes, life can only get a little more complicated from here on. Sorry for the late update: I have been buried in my major subjects. _

**Chapter 10: Scar Tissue**

"_Is it possible to die twice in one day?" _ Zuko wondered as he furiously scribbled on his battered notepad. It had been two days since that night at the Chin Dance Club. However, it might have been a thousand years for all he cared, especially after having taken Professor Zei's anthropology exam earlier in the day. "_And just when I thought the agony was enough, I end up in this lecture." _

"A state need not declare war to be considered an aggressor," Professor Jeongjeong said from the front of the room. "Even the practice of holding colonies is also considered by some experts to be an act of aggression."

"_The same can be said for sending spies into a country to keep tabs on people who otherwise would want out of events," _Zuko thought as he positioned his pen to write another line. He still felt as if there was an platypus bear hanging above his head, poised to kill at any minute.

Professor Jeongjeong laced his fingers together. "Unfortunately, what seems to be a deplorable act in the short term is often written off as glorious by publicists, as well as historians. An example close to home would be the current state of affairs between the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation. A hundred years ago, the different civilizations and countries had no problems getting along with each other. They were free in commerce, communication, and in every other way of life. There were only a few who complained when the Fire Nation began to build up its military force and turn the citizenry into an armed body. More protested when the dragons were annihilated. It was all written off as necessary for progress then, or for the glory of the nation."

"By the time Fire Lord Sozin ended his regime, the first colonial forays by the Fire Nation had already been made. During the reigns of Fire Lords Azulon and Ozai, the Fire Nation found it relatively easy to annihilate the Air Nomads and marginalize the Water Tribes, all this within the last fifteen years," he added, gesturing to the walls of Ba Sing Se, which were visible from the classroom window. "Only the Earth Kingdom is capable of becoming a threat of sorts to the Fire Nation, and the other way around. The Fire Nation carves into this kingdom's territory by means of colonies, while the Earth Kingdom does its best to frustrate Fire Nation industries. It is only natural that with such a history, that tension should exist between both nations, even if the books proclaim otherwise."

Zuko winced as he could hear his classmates stir in reaction. The former Fire Nation official now turned teacher fixed his hard gaze on Zuko. "Do you have something to say to that?" he asked.

Zuko looked Professor Jeongjeong straight in the eye. "Only that neither side has apparently moved to resolve the problem."

The older firebender sighed deeply. "Mediators were appointed, the most notable of them being the Avatar Roku of the Fire Nation. However since his untimely…demise fifteen years ago, the international political scene has deteriorated to its current situation that is bordering on unilateralism, as well as a dangerous stalemate that could be broken at any moment."

"_Like I didn't know that already," _Zuko thought, feeling his fists grow hot. A year ago, he might have already challenged his teacher to an Agni Kai based on this discussion alone. Now however, he felt his rage being directed elsewhere, to someplace much closer, when out of nowhere the bell rang to signal the end of the period.

"Read up on Internal Policies for our next class. I expect you to be ready for a quiz," Professor Jeongjeong announced to his students. Zuko gritted his teeth as he headed out of the classroom and off to his usual haunt on the fire exit. This afternoon, he noticed that the freshman bending class had been segregated: only the earthbenders were still on the playing field. The other students were only returning from other venues from their practice.

Zuko found Toph in the throng, focused on burying a burly boy who rushed towards her. As another bender attacked her, she sent a rock flying in his face. "_That's got to hurt in more ways than one," _Zuko thought as a howl of rage came from the field. His gaze focused on beyond the walkway, where the waterbenders were returning from their class at the pool. Katara was there, as well as Aang.

"_He's definitely the Avatar then if he's learning waterbending," _Zuko realized. He wanted to slap himself for not having realized it earlier, especially considering the time he spent around the child. Apparently a lot of people either took this tidbit about Aang either matter-of-factly or with great enthusiasm. "_He's lucky no one's come after him yet." _

Zuko got down from the fire escape and slipped towards the group of waterbenders in hopes of speaking to his classmates about an upcoming project they had for class. As he walked, someone yanked him by the arm.

"What are you doing here?" Jet snarled at him.

Zuko twisted out of Jet's grip. "That's none of your business."

Jet's eyes narrowed. "I'm not about to let some firebender endanger my friends," he said, gesturing to where Katara and Aang were talking.

"You might want to remember that it was a firebender who bailed your sorry hide out of the Chin Dance Club last weekend," Zuko said coldly. He wanted nothing more than to at least give the miscreant a good kick where he knew it would hurt. "Is this the kind of thanks that you people give?"

Jet's look became more venomous. "It's always all about you, isn't it?" he sneered. "And then again, you know what I have heard? You're a sorry excuse even for a Fire Nation citizen."

"Shut up if you know what's good for you," Zuko glowered, feeling his hands grow hot once again.

"I heard that it was your _father_ who gave you that scar--"

Red flared up in Zuko's field of vision. "I said, _shut up!" _he roared, moving to punch his antagonist. Flames shot out from his fingers in Jet's direction, but unexpectedly water splashed towards the two fighting young men, soaking them thoroughly.

"Good timing, Aang!" Smellerbee called from nearby. Zuko turned to see Aang and Katara still standing in waterbending stances. Aang's expression was startled, while Katara's was downright furious.

Jet smiled at Katara with relief. "Thanks for that."

"Don't think that this changes anything," Katara said, straightening up. She marched over to him determinedly till she stood only a few inches from his face. "You owe me another apology, Jet."

"Katara, I can explain…"

"You're two days too late."

Zuko could not help but feel a twinge of twisted delight watching the scene unfold. "_Maybe she'll start realizing that he isn't good for her health," _he thought with a strange sort of glee.

"It was just a few drinks. Alright, so I overstepped!" Jet said, now that Katara had an ice spike in her hand. "It was my fault," he added almost as an afterthought.

"Katara, you can't do that here!" Aang tried to reason with the angry waterbender.

Jet looked down at where Katara was just about to run him through with the ice. "I never meant to hurt you," he said softly.

"You never mean anything," Katara said in a slightly defeated voice as she bent the ice spike back into water and let it fall to the floor. She took a deep breath as if she was trying to contain a sob.

Zuko didn't bother to kill the smile on his face. "About time someone told him that," he said before he could stop himself.

She wheeled on him. "Why can't you just control your temper? You could have really hurt someone there!" she demanded tersely.

"_Great, this girl has mood swings worse than my sister's," _Zuko realized. "You wouldn't understand," he found himself saying.

She raised one eyebrow. "Maybe Jet has a point—it's really all about you sometimes," she said curtly, pushing past him. Jet and his comrades lost no time in slipping away.

It was then, and only then that the full impact of the last few moments finally got to Zuko. "_I didn't just do all of that, didn't I?" _he wondered, glancing at Aang and the other bystanders for an explanation.

"Wait, Katara!" Aang called, moving to run towards her. Before he could take off, Toph tripped him with a rock just as she was coming back from the field.

"Give Sweetness a few minutes to calm a bit," Toph said. "She's so mad I can feel it from here."

Zuko shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe that you actually call Katara _Sweetness." _

Aang scowled with disagreement as he got to his feet. "I'm sure she's just having a bad day, especially after what Jet did. I mean, he shouldn't have said those things."

"Thanks for the sympathy," Zuko said dismissively. "_I can't believe I let Katara talk me into taking care of that jerk." _

000

Two hours later, Katara blew on her pale pink nail polish in hopes of making it dry faster. "We'd better get something to eat after this," she said to her friends. It felt a little odd to be sitting in a salon, especially on a school day, but still she appreciated the change. Katara settled further into her chair, relishing the softness of the cushion as well as that of the tickly covering of the footstool under her toes.

"Let's go by the Lotus Tea Café later. I'm sure that Iroh will still have the place open when you guys finish," Toph suggested. She wiggled her mud-covered toes experimentally. "This glop doesn't feel right."

"It's supposed to make your skin smoother," Suki said. She glanced over to her best friend sitting in the other chair. "How's it going, Yue?"

"I hope that this hot oil doesn't turn my hair some other color," Yue said, patting the cap that covered her white tresses. "I can't believe someone suggested I dye my hair black."

"Well, white hair is unusual for girls your age," Suki pointed out. She flipped her newly cut hair about proudly. "Not that it's a bad thing. It makes you stand out."

"That's not difficult to do if you're Water Tribe," Katara pointed out. "We look different from most people here."

"Yeah, again it's the hair thing," Suki grinned.

"Better than make-up sometimes," Yue riposted. "Sometimes you put on too much."

"It's Kyoshi tradition."

Toph scratched her head. "I'd comment on all of that, if I could only _see_ what you all meant. One good thing about being blind is that you don't have to worry about how you look."

Katara would have smiled were it not for that slight twinge she could sense in the younger girl's voice. "You know you're a very pretty girl, Toph," she said comfortingly.

"Thanks for that," Toph said, her lips pulling into a small smile.

Suddenly Yue reached for her phone. She practically beamed when she saw the name on the screen. "It's your brother," she said to Katara before taking the call.

"Hello Sokka," she said. "Yes, we're all here. Really, you're in the neighborhood? You could come by for us? That's really nice of you. Thanks, Sokka. See you in half an hour then Bye."

Katara watched this with amusement until she saw how Suki's cheeks had momentarily flushed. "_La, can it be?" _she wondered. Dread settled in when she caught Toph's expression of confirmation.

"They both have it bad!" Toph mouthed. Katara hid her giggling just as Yue ended the call.

"Half an hour? I still have to pick up my photos," Suki said. "We're going to have to wait."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Tell you what, I'll meet my brother first. Where did he say he was?" she asked.

"He's at the video store downstairs," Yue said.

"_Figures," _Katara thought. She slipped her sandals back on and blew on her fingernails one last time. "Just call if you're ready to meet up with us," she said.

Toph sighed as she tried to scrape the mud off her toes. "Some coating of earth this is," she muttered as Katara left.

"_Toph had better not say anything to incriminate the other two," _Katara thought as she raced down towards the video store. "_It's going to be trouble if it gets out…" _

"Tara! What are you doing here?" Sokka greeted his sister enthusiastically at the entrance of the store. 

"Suki still has to pick up something, and it's going to take a while. I told the girls I'd meet you first," Katara replied candidly. She pointed to the stack of videos in Sokka's hands. "You found anything interesting?"

"I can only get two, even if they are being sold at a bargain," Sokka said. "Why don't you help me pick one?"

Katara took the stack out of her brother's grip and set the videos on a table. She looked through some of the more gory selections before setting them aside. As she perused the remaining videos, one title caught her eye.

"Sokka, is this what I think it is?" Katara asked haltingly as she held up the disc.

"It's "_Tales of the Polar Knights." _What about it?" Sokka asked.

Katara felt a lump growing in her throat. "Don't you remember…before what happened to Mom?"

Sokka looked down. "Yeah. You and Mom used to watch it all the time, especially the story about the knight who met Avatar Kyoshi and from her learned about the firebender girl he was meant to find," he said.

Katara's hand went to her necklace, and she felt the beads catch between her fingers. "_The day after she gave this to me was when the accident happened. Did she know?" _ she wondered. "I miss her a lot. I mean, we have Gran-gran, but it's not the same. I know Dad checks up on us, but ever since he went off to sea, nothing's actually felt like home anymore."

"I know," Sokka said, scuffing his shoes. "You still want to get the video?" he asked hesitantly.

"Of course!" Katara said, pressing it back into her brother's hand. She picked up another video, "_Earth Rumble Season 1" _and gave it as well to her brother. "I think you'd like this," she said.

"You really won't mind me watching this at home?" Sokka asked gleefully.

Katara shrugged. "You're my older brother. If you don't mind me watching an old video, I suppose I should not be so annoyed at your watching a bunch of guys throwing rocks."

"Right," Sokka said amusedly. "So I heard from Zuko and Aang that you confronted a certain party member today?"

"_Do I want to know Sokka's reaction to that?" _Katara groaned inwardly. "Actually it's more of like Aang and I saved Jet from getting a nasty scar like Zuko's," she admitted. "And I gave Zuko a piece of my mind too, by the way."

Sokka whistled. "Do you really hate him that much?"

"He firebent at me on my first day in Ba Sing Se, he's always so _arrogant_ about everything I do, he's got a cloud of gloom practically trailing him," Katara said quickly. "And he's got a terrible temper."

The older teenager snorted at this last statement. "Might I remind you, Tara, that you're not much better? I of all people can attest to that."

Katara punched his arm. "You're very nearly as infuriating as he is. No wonder why you two ended up as friends."

"Alright, I resent that comment."

"Still, it was really nice of him to get me out of a Jet-related fix more than once."

Sokka frowned at his sister. "Since when did you even concede _slightly_ in any of your opinions?"

Katara resisted the impulse to cover her mouth with her hands.

000

The taste of overly hot chai was almost _too _comforting to Zuko as he watched his uncle talking to Aang. "_So my teachers tried to kill me with tests, I got to take down Jet, and I managed to goad Aang into revealing that he is the Avatar. This day just gets better and better." _

"What would the Fire Nation want with me?" Aang asked Iroh worriedly. "I am not even powerful enough to be of use to them, yet."

"Yet being the word, Aang," Iroh said. "You are the only person who can stand between the Fire Nation and its goal of solidifying its grip on all the nations. The Fire Nation has been mild for now, but we never know if they will spring their trap."

"What am I supposed to do?" Aang asked. His shoulders shook, reminding Zuko of a scared child.

"For now, you are safest in Ba Sing Se. Here you can train, you are protected by your status as a student," Iroh said. His brow was furrowed with deep concentration. "For now, that is all I think you can do. Live a life as normal as you can while building up your strength. I'll protect you as best as I can."

Zuko looked at his uncle, amazed at the seemingly reckless words spilling from his lips. "Wouldn't that be putting us in danger?" he asked.

Iroh fixed him with a serene look. "We have to do what is right, nephew."

"I know but—" Zuko began before he felt his tongue trip on the words. He stopped to compose himself. "The Fire Nation is watching us. If they find you have sided with the Avatar, they might come after us."

"They need not find out," Iroh said almost dismissively. "I am counting on you to help me, Zuko."

The young man took a deep breath as he reflected on what was happening before him. "_I wanted a normal life too," _he thought, willing himself not to remember what kind of life he left behind. He merely drained the last of his chai, not minding if it burned his tongue slightly. "I'd better practice my firebending outside."

Aang got up from his seat. "Can I watch?"

Zuko gave the boy a withering look. "Just don't airbend, or it might cause trouble," he said as he went out into the backyard. He rolled up his shirtsleeves and dropped into a firebending stance. He shot flames from his fingers halfway across the yard, noting the scorch marks he made on the wall.

Aang sat with his chin in his hands. "Is it that easy?"

"It takes practice," Zuko said breathlessly. He was beginning to sweat as he channeled fire through a forty-five-degree kick. "So you're going to learn this someday?"

"I suppose," Aang said. He held out his hands and a spark rose from his palm. The fire danced at his fingertips before snuffing out. More determinedly, he bent another spark back towards him, and only succeeded in making the flame stay a little longer. "I can't really do it, not now at least."

"_Pathetic," _Zuko thought, assuming another firebending stance. "Watch," he said confidently. He opened up his palms and formed flame at his fingertips. He could feel his chi straining as he made the fire rise so that it extended the length of his arm. Having done this, he compressed the flame into a ball before sending it in a huge arc that extended across the yard, almost to the back of the tea café. Suddenly, a piercing cry of pain tore through the brightness.

The sound was enough to let the flame cease from Zuko's hand. He felt his heart stop as for one terrible moment his line of sight locked with a watery blue pair of eyes half hidden by a pair of scorched hands. "_Agni, no, not like what my father did to me!" _he thought just before Katara ran into the tea café.

000

The pain was almost incapacitating, enough to make Katara stumble as she searched for the sink. Frantically, she splashed water over her hands, as well as over the spots on her face where the flame had touched her. She whimpered as she saw the reddish skin and the blisters forming. "_Scarred…I'm going to have scars!" _

"Katara!" Sokka cried as he, Yue, Toph, Suki, and Iroh burst into the kitchen from the café door. He stopped when he saw his sister. "Oh Tui, what happened?"

"It hurts!" Katara choked as she stuck her hands under the water.

"Katara, I'm so sorry! I'll call the hospital—" Zuko called frantically as he and Aang entered the café from the backyard.

Sokka's face went livid. "You did this to her?!" he bellowed with rage.

"It was an accident! I didn't know she was there!" Zuko said in his defense.

"It was my fault, Sokka. Zuko was showing me some firebending," Aang said, stepping forward. The boy's hands were shaking with fright and horror as he said this.

"Firebending?!"

As Sokka berated Zuko and Aang while the girls and Iroh tried to calm him down, Katara could feel a strange tingling on her hands where water droplets glided off her scorched flesh. To her amazement the angry red of the burns was beginning to subside. Her face also felt much cooler, as if the sore flesh there was healing.

Suki suddenly looked her way and her jaw dropped. "What did you do?" she asked, pointing to Katara's hands.

"I'm not sure," Katara said, holding up her hands, which were once again smooth and free from charring.

"It's waterbending," Yue said with amazement. "You never tried it before?"

Katara shook her head with amazement as she turned to look at her reflection in the water. She saw the last of the scorch marks on her cheeks smooth over and disappear as if the water was slowly erasing them.

"I didn't know splashing around could do all of that," Toph remarked.

Aang gaped with wonder. "Wow. Can you teach me that one day?" he asked.

"I'll try," Katara replied.

"It's a particular gift of some waterbenders," Iroh said. "After all, each element has its constructive, life-giving side as well as its dangerous one."

"_What can be so life-giving about fire?" _Katara wondered. Her gaze drifted over to Zuko, and the vicious mark on his face. "_Only fire could cause such a thing." _

As if he had sensed her eyes on him, Zuko turned away. "That's all well and good at least for you, Katara," he said softly, retreating to the front room of the tea café.

Sokka looked his sister over. "So you'll be alright?"

"I think so," Katara replied confidently. "Sokka, just tell Zuko that… i-it wasn't his fault. I shouldn't have just opened that door without looking."

"Is that what happened?" Sokka quipped before going to speak to his friend. Toph, Suki, and Yue followed him back into the tea café, leaving Aang, Iroh, and Katara alone.

Aang hung his head. "I'm sorry for what happened. If I hadn't wanted to watch Zuko firebending, you wouldn't have gotten hurt," he said.

"It really isn't your fault either," Katara said. "_This kid is taking things too hard," _she thought as she patted his shoulder.

Aang smiled with relief. "Do you think you can heal other things like broken bones or even old scars?" he asked Katara more brightly.

"Maybe one day," Katara said. She gave a questioning look to Iroh. "How did Zuko get that scar on his face anyhow?"

Iroh looked at the two teenagers gravely. "It happened some three years ago, when he was sixteen," he began. "It was the Festival of the Autumn Moon, and he and his parents and his sister were on Ember Island to celebrate."

Katara felt her gut grow sour. "Was it an accident?"

"I wish it was," Iroh said painfully. "My brother Ozai and his wife Ursa, that is Zuko's parents, had their…difficulties. The fact that Ozai's wrath is rather legendary did not help matters either. Ursa on the other hand was usually the gentlest woman you would ever have known, but even she had her limits."

Katara realized that she was starting to bend the water droplets in the sink. "_I don't like where this is going," _she said as she watched Iroh sit down.

"One night on Ember Island, my brother turned on Ursa." He would have killed her if Zuko had not sprung to her defense. As punishment for his supposed disrespect, Ozai hit Zuko right in the eye."

Aang's eyes went wide. "How could he do that? Zuko is his son!" he blurted out.

Katara's hand flew to cover her mouth. "So what happened?"

"That night, I was staying in a nearby cottage. Ursa brought Zuko to me, begging me to take care of him since his father wanted nothing more to do with him. She told me the entire story then. That same night also, Ursa left. No one in the family has seen her since," Iroh said. He rubbed at his temples. "Of course, my brother eventually took Zuko back into his care, but he told everyone who asked about his son's scar that it had been the result of a firebending accident. Ozai was more than willing to let Zuko leave for his studies here in Ba Sing Se."

"And still Zuko wants his father's approval?" Katara said incredulously. "After all of that?"

Iroh nodded reflectively. "Don't tell my nephew that I told you his story. I only told you because I believe that you can help him. He needs to have his sight cleared up a little, in my honest opinion."

_"His scars run a little too deep though," _Katara thought as she let one single drop of water rest on her fingertip.


	12. What Friends Are For

Chapter 11: Friends and Miscreants

**Chapter 11: What Friends are For**

"Before we even start thinking of locations for our documentary, we can at least come up with a topic," Katara's voice cut through the silence.

Zuko gave her a defeated look as he looked up from his books. He and Katara were near the covered walk, passing the time. "You mean anything that is feasible and will not be vetoed by the rest?"

"Zuko, you have to admit that doing a video on _dragon myths_ is easier said than done," Katara pointed out. "Now put your foot up so I can see to that sprain."

Zuko grunted as he obliged, feeling something grinding in the bones in his injured sole. It had been a fortnight since the firebending mishap in the backyard. Ever since then, Aang had never asked Zuko to firebend again, partly because of the consequences and partly because of the fact that he hadn't mastered the arts of water and earthbending yet.

Still, that didn't stop _Katara_ from practicing what she had learned that day. Zuko watched warily as Katara bent a sock of water all around his foot, easing the swelling that had come up there. "Thanks," Zuko said as he felt the pain begin to ebb.

Katara nodded as she continued to manipulate the healing water sock. "Why is it that ever since we discovered that I could heal, you've all been getting into weird accidents? First Sokka, then Toph, then you."

"It was _Suki_ this time who got me. This is the last time I'm trying barehanded work against her." Zuko scowled.

"I think if you went with Jin more often, you wouldn't get into these fixes," Katara said, trying to sound matter-of-fact.

Zuko felt slightly unnerved at her tone. "You sound as if you don't want me to."

"Sheesh, Zuko. She's your _girlfriend_. Of course you're supposed to be with her," Katara said, bending the water away just as Jin emerged on the other end of the walk.

"Sorry I'm late. Madame Hama kept me in class," she said apologetically. "What happened to your foot, Zuko?"

"An accident," Zuko said. He pulled his shoe back on and gave her a cocky grin. "Let's get off campus as soon as we can. You need a lift, Katara?" he asked, feeling the question come naturally to him.

Katara swallowed hard but she was still smiling. "I'll manage well enough. Thanks all the same," the waterbender said, gathering up her things. "Let me and the others know if you get an idea for the documentary."

"No problem," Zuko said. He felt Jin put her hand on his arm, just near his wrist, and almost mechanically he let his fingers slip to meet hers.

"She can take care of herself, Zuko," Jin reassured him. "So you have an errand to run before we go for a movie?"

"Yeah, I have to drop off my forms for my exchange program application," Zuko replied. "_I do hope I can qualify for it…" _

Jin gave his hand another squeeze, as if she could sense his anxiety. "They'd be foolish not to even consider you."

Zuko sighed as they went out to the van, which he had borrowed once again from his uncle. The program office was high up in the upper ring, and nearly impossible to reach by commuting alone.

After a few minutes spent in awkward silence, Jin turned to him again. "So if you get accepted in the program, how long will you be gone?" she asked.

"One semester," Zuko replied diffidently.

Jin looked down at her hands. "I wish I could go."

"Then why don't you?" Zuko asked.

Jin gave him a worried smile. "My family wants me to finish my studies right away. I can't afford to spend so much time away."

"I see," Zuko said, looking ahead as he made a left turn. He found it a bit of a relief to hear Jin trying to keep conversation with him. "_It's as if something is wrong with this silence." _

They talked about everything trivial till they at last reached the address that Zuko had taken care to note down on the envelope. The expansive lobby of the building was considerably quiet, such that above the ticking of the concierge's typewriter, Zuko could even hear his breathing considerably out of sync with Jin's.

An elevator door opened with a piercing "cling". "Hey, isn't that Zuko outside?" a high pitched feminine voice cried from inside the elevator.

"_Ty Lee!" _Zuko realized, even before he could the face of the speaker. As if confirming his dread, he saw his sister's friend exit the elevator, clad in a tight pink dress. She was leading a taller, more pallid friend who seemed lost in her maroon blouse and dark pants. A third girl with a perfectly made up face and her hair done up in a topknot pushed her way out of the crowd.

"Zuzu, this is a surprise," Azula said with a voice dripping with scorn.

"I should say the same about you, Azula," Zuko said, forcing himself to remain cordial though he felt his gut doing somersaults, more so when he saw Ty Lee whispering to Mai, who was still impassive.

"So who's your girlfriend?" Azula asked him, pointing at Jin.

Jin glanced at Zuko before smiling awkwardly at the three other girls. "I'm Jin. Zuko and I met at school. And I'm guessing that you are Zuko's sister," she said, offering her hand by way of greeting.

"I am," Azula said, looking straight at Jin. "By the way, meet Ty Lee and Mai. Mai is a special friend of Zuko's, by the way."

"_More like my former girlfriend, thanks Azula," _Zuko thought. "It was good seeing you, but Jin and I have an important errand to run by the way," he said. Alarm bells were going off everywhere in his mind. "_What are they doing here in the city anyway?" _ he wondered. "_Aren't they supposed to be in school elsewhere?" _

"Why are you in such a hurry to get away from your sister?" Azula mocked. "Father would be _displeased_ at your behavior."

"Send him my regards and apologies then," Zuko said as a phone began ringing.

Mei fished in her pocket for her phone and rolled her eyes. "It's my mother," she said in a lifeless voice.

"What about now?" Ty Lee asked her.

"She's _reminding_ me again to send stuff for Tom-Tom," Mei said. "I guess this means we have to go."

"Mei, come on, why are you in such a hurry for?" Azula hissed to her friend.

"You stay with Ty Lee, I'll go ahead." Mei said. She nodded to Zuko. "See you around, by the way."

Zuko lost no time in propelling himself and Jin to the elevator as Ty Lee followed Mei to the other end of the lobby. The last thing Zuko and Jin saw of the lobby before the elevator door closed was Azula's glowering.

"Your sister scares me," Jin said after a long while, drawing her green jacket more tightly around herself.

"Me too," Zuko said. "_This is the last thing I need: my psychotic sister poking into my affairs or Uncle's," _he cursed inwardly.

"Still, that's a cute nickname, Zuzu," Jin giggled.

"Don't get me started," Zuko scowled. He heaved a deep sigh of relief as the elevator opened on the tenth floor. In a few minutes, he and Jin were finished with turning in the papers and soon they were on their way back out of the building.

As they drove back to the middle ring of Ba Sing Se, they happened to run into a jam-packed intersection. "I think we won't make the pre-dinner showing," Jin said as she looked at her watch.

Zuko happened to glance at his rear-view mirror. "_Are those Duke and Longshot in the car behind us?" _ he thought.

Jin also looked in the mirror. "I think they want you to pull over."

"Whatever for?" Zuko said as the light turned green. As he drove on, he noticed with dismay that Duke and Longshot seemed to be trailing them. At another intersection, they came across not another stoplight, but an angry, waving crowd.

Zuko slammed on the horn as Jin rolled down the window on her side. "Not again," she whispered as she looked around. "Zuko, it's a rally."

The firebender swore explosively as he got out of the car. He also saw Duke and Longshot doing just the same thing. "What is this about now?" he demanded, backing Duke up against a car.

"Hey, let go!" Duke squeaked. "We're just meeting everyone else."

Longshot pried Zuko off the smaller boy. "Stay out of this," he said tersely.

"Tell me, is Katara there?" Zuko asked hotly.

"We don't know. She didn't tell Jet anything," Duke said, rubbing his shoulders balefully. "This thing isn't completely our doing."

"Let's leave—mmph!" Jin said just as someone grabbed her. Zuko and Longshot leapt after her before they were immobilized with manacles on their hands and gags in their mouths. Duke managed to evade the Dai Li agent coming after him, but found himself trapped between two other cars.

"Keep the arrests silent," Zuko heard a Dai Li agent say. As the young man tried to get away from his captors, he could see agents at the edge of the crowd, quietly subduing and taking in some of the protestors. "_I can't believe we're getting mixed up in this!" _he thought as he tried to resist being pushed into a paddy wagon.

000

"We have to get you an earthbending teacher, Aang," Katara said as she adjusted her jacket over her still-drying clothes. "Master Pakku tells me you've progressed quickly enough to move on to other bending forms."

"Not as quickly as you have," Aang said. The two of them were walking down a street in the middle ring, searching for Toph's address. "Master Pakku said that you were good enough to become _my _teacher."

"Yeah, and I can't believe he didn't want me in his class at first, but I'm glad things changed," Katara said. She had to admit, she had grown to respect Master Pakku, and him her during the training sessions. "_At least I know that I'm a better bender after all of this." _

"We don't know what the Fire Nation is doing, but it's best to be ready," Aang said. "I know I have to learn earthbending, but I'm worried how I'll do."

"You're the Avatar. You'll do more than manage."

Toph was seated on the front step of the apartment building. "There you are," she said, mischief dashing over her pale green eyes. "So have the others come up with any ideas for our work yet?"

"Zuko wants to do _dragons_. Sokka wants to do something about food." Katara said, rolling her eyes. "Aang here wants to do Earth Kingdom dances."

"I can help you with the last one, provided it's all about feet," Toph said. "What have you got, Sugar Queen?"

"I wanted to do a piece on Water Tribe festivals," Katara replied. "But Yue beat me to that, unfortunately."

"What about on Earth Rumble?" Aang asked.

"Psh, I can beat anyone who is there." Toph said. "Come on, let's go inside." The trio managed to sneak past the concierge, and soon they were going up the stairs leading to a spacious yet sparsely furnished apartment. The overall effect was cozy yet light, no-nonsense like its occupant.

"I took down the stuffy decors myself," Toph explained, gesturing to a tangled pile of silks and cushions in the corner. She plopped down on a lumpy beanbag and kicked off her slippers.

"This is a very nice place, Toph," Katara said, finding another beanbag while Aang settled on the floor. "So you aren't afraid to live alone?"

"It's not easy, but it sure beats being handled," Toph grinned as she plugged in her computer and powered it up. "We can look up topics here."

"Too bad Sokka got stuck doing extra-credit work," Aang said. "Where's Zuko?"

"Out with Jin," Katara replied. The bitterness in her voice nearly took her aback, as well as the knowing grin on Toph's face.

"So are you and Jet fighting?" Toph asked her.

"I don't know if you can call it that," Katara shrugged. "It's just that I don't agree with him. I heard him yesterday talking about drastic measures, about even going to the extent of storming offices. I know _why_ he wants to do things, but I don't like _how." _

Aang looked up reflectively. "I think Jet just has to learn balance, you know?"

"Easy for you to say that. You're the Avatar," Katara said. "And speaking about that, I think Aang here is ready to learn earthbending."

"Oh, from who?" Toph drawled.

Katara tapped the floor. "Toph, could you teach him?"

"Ask properly."

"Toph, could you please teach him?"

"Are you the one trying to learn Earthbending, or is it supposed to be Twinkletoes? He can ask for himself."

Katara nodded to Aang, who stood up and bowed before Toph. "Toph, I'm asking you to _please_ teach me how to earthbend," he said calmly.

Toph smiled and nodded. "My pleasure, Twinkletoes. Let's go down and out back to get started."

Aang's jaw dropped. "Now?!"

"If Sparky isn't being paranoid, that means we have little time before the Fire Nation does something against this city," Toph said in the most business-like tone she could muster.

Katara nodded by way of agreement as she fished for her phone, which had begun to ring in her pocket. She felt her hands shake as she took the call. "Zuko?"

"Katara! Could you come and get me out of the police station?" Zuko's voice asked urgently.

"_Spirits, what has he done now?!" _Katara groaned inwardly. "Hang on, I'll have to get a cab. What district are you in? Where's Jin?"

"I'm in the West district, Middle Ring. And Jin's mother already came for her. Smellerbee bailed out Duke and Longshot." Zuko replied.

"Alright, I'll be there," Katara sighed. "_And he owes me a good explanation for being with the People's Rights Party." _ She got to her feet and looked at Aang and Toph. "I have to go. Zuko's gotten into some trouble with the Dai Li."

The two youngsters winced. "Take care of him. Twinkletoes and I will be fine here," Toph said confidently.

"Don't _hurt_ him, Toph. I saw what you did to Sokka."

"It wasn't anything you couldn't heal up."

Katara gave a long suffering look as she went to the door. "See you later," she said before quitting the apartment building. As she hailed a cab, her mind whirled with questions, not least being, "_Why did he call me?" _

It was a long ride to the police station, and it was dark by the time Katara arrived there. She felt her feet grow cold as she went up to the officer at the desk in the cramped front room of the precinct. "I'm here to get my friend Zuko," she said confidently as she put the bail money on the table.

"What's his surname?" the officer asked in a bored tone.

_"Tui, I don't know his last name!" _Katara realized. However, just beyond the desk, she could see a cell occupied only by two prisoners. One was a big man with a bald head. The other of course was none other than Zuko.

"_At least he isn't hurt!" _she thought. "Zuko! Over here!" she shouted.

The young firebender straightened up when Katara looked at him. "I told you she'd come, sir," he said to the man at the desk. "Now let me out."

The officer sneered at him. "Next time I catch you disturbing the peace, it will be solitary. Your car is in the impounding lot to the left," he growled as he let out Zuko.

The other prisoner in the cell waved to Zuko. "Keep your neck out of trouble, Zuko. Don't want to see you in here again."

"Same to you, Chit-San," Zuko said with a nod as he followed Katara out of the office. Once the door had shut, he smiled at her. "Thanks. I guess I owe you something," he said awkwardly to her.

Katara let out a deep breath, partly in exasperation and partly in relief. "At least an explanation," she said as they went to the impounding lot.

Zuko looked down with embarrassment. "Jin and I were at the wrong place at the wrong time. A rally broke out and the Dai Li apprehended people randomly. We were just driving through and we got stuck. Jin's mother refused to bail me out, saying I deserved it for getting her daughter in trouble."

Katara winced with sympathy. "Now why did you call me? You could have called your uncle or the others."

"Uncle wasn't picking up," Zuko said, disquiet showing in his tone. "Nor were your brother, Haru, or the rest. If you hadn't picked up, I was planning to grovel with Professor Zei."

The picture that Zuko's words put into Katara's mind had her laughing helplessly. "I wish you had all the same. It would have been priceless."

"You're only allowed _one_ call at the station," Zuko shrugged as the officer manning the impounding lot went up to them.

As Katara watched Zuko talking to the officer about the van, she couldn't quash the odd feeling that there was more to his reasons than he was ready to put into words. "_Be straight with me, Zuko," _she wanted to beg him, but she had a feeling that the words wouldn't leave her mouth either, not even if she tried.

It seemed like forever until she heard Zuko walk up to her. "Let's go," he said, dangling the car keys. Wordlessly, Katara got into the front passenger's seat.

"Sorry that you couldn't go on that date," she said to Zuko after a while as they pulled out of the impounding lot.

"I don't want your sympathy," he said curtly.

"Fine, be that way. Just when I'm _trying _to be nice to you, you have to snap like that," Katara retorted.

Zuko rested his head against the steering wheel. "Look, I know I must seem pathetic asking _you_, the younger sister of my best friend, to get me out of the slammer."

Katara rolled her eyes. "There's nothing wrong with asking a friend," she blurted out. "Really," she added when he gave her a surprised look.

Zuko nodded as he relaxed his grip on the steering wheel. They did not say anything for a long time, not even at the traffic crossings. Oddly enough, Katara found the silence comforting, as if she had come to the right place at the right time. She caught herself looking at Zuko, at the focused way he was driving, at the unruly black hair that was always falling in his eyes…one eye scarred with pain, but the other seeming still warm. "_After all that life has done to him…" _

"Zuko—" she said at the same time he muttered her name. She felt a flying blush cross her face while he looked down.

"Why do we end up doing that?" he asked a little more lightly.

"To be honest, I don't know," Katara giggled. "I think this more than makes up for the time you helped me and Jet got home."

"Right." Zuko said. "What was that hold-up back at the precinct?"

"I didn't know your last name."

"Want me to give it to you?"

"Like I have cause to remember it. You recognized me anyway."

Zuko drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "True. I'd know you anywhere by this time."

"And why? The hair loopies again?" Katara asked dangerously. Much to her surprise, Zuko coughed and said something about "not just that" before letting the now uncomfortable silence settle.


	13. The Captives

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys! _

**Chapter 12: The Captives**

_"It seems as if the Dai Li made a bad move yesterday," _Zuko realized as he tried to get past yet another group of haranguing students in the hallways of the Feng building after his class with Professor Jeongjeong. Zuko had expected to hear rants and complaints about the previous day's goings-on, but he was quite surprised as to where the ire of his fellow students was directed.

"Aren't you angry too, Zuko? We heard what happened to you yesterday," Smellerbee said when she saw him.

"If your people hadn't staged that rally, none of this wouldn't have happened," Zuko retorted hotly. "Now look how many civilians have gotten jailed!"

Smellerbee blinked at him with rage and disbelief. "You don't know anything, do you?" she said curtly before disappearing into a classroom.

Zuko swore under his breath before heading for the exit. As he got to the university gate, he caught sight of Sokka, Haru, and Aang in deep discussion. Sokka was pulling at his wolf-tail, as he was wont to do when he was anxious. Aang was leaning on the wall, belying the injury he had taken to his leg the day before. Haru was the least composed of the three; his hair and clothes were disheveled, his face was pale, and tears were on the verge of escaping his eyes.

"What happened here?" Zuko asked them.

Haru looked at him as his jaw quivered. "I've got news from home," he said, trying to force calm into his voice. He opened his clenched fists to reveal a crumpled scrap of paper. "My father and some other men in the colonies have been taken as political prisoners, by the Fire Nation."

Zuko felt as if fire had been poured all over his ears. "That's rough. Why would the Fire Nation take _your_ father?" he asked.

"He was agitating for better treatment of the people in our district. Tax problems." Haru said. "Dad never takes anything sitting down, and nor do his friends."

"That's what yesterday's rally was about, apparently," Aang said. "Maybe things will go alright, Haru," he said more reassuringly.

"I hope so." Haru whispered, blinking back his tears.

"If enough people ask, the Fire Nation will have to turn over the prisoners," Sokka pointed out. "Someone has to do something."

"You're starting to sound like Jet," Zuko said darkly, crossing his arms.

"What would you know about it, Zuko?" Sokka asked, turning to his best friend. "Just think what Haru, Aang, Katara, and I have had to suffer because of the Fire Nation displacing so many people."

Zuko ran his hand through his hair. "You don't know _half_ my story, Sokka," he said tersely. "_I know his mom's gone too, but at least he's not being banished from home with a tangible reminder of it." _

He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. "Hey Zuko, I've been looking all over for you," Jin said as she stepped in front of him.

"Oh. That's nice," Zuko shrugged.

Jin glanced at the others. "Did someone die?" she asked worriedly.

"No, but Haru's dad is now a Fire Nation captive," Sokka muttered.

Jin's hands flew to her mouth. "Just like what Madame Wu said!"

"Who's Madame Wu?" Sokka asked.

"A professor who read our fortunes in our teacups some time back," Aang explained sheepishly.

"She said that there was a captive in Haru's future," Jin explained.

"No offense Jin, but that's just _one_ prediction," Sokka pointed out. "It's not something scientific, or something that can be proven."

"She said there was some romance in Jin's future, and Zuko's as well," Haru said. "And she didn't know Aang was the Avatar, but she saw power in his cup."

"You actually _believe_ this kind of thing?" Sokka asked Zuko.

Zuko shrugged. "My uncle says that destiny is always a strange thing—it's not something that is fixed."

Aang's brow furrowed, as if he was thinking deeply. "Maybe Madame Wu saw our destinies so that we could do something about them," he said.

Haru's eyes brightened slightly. "I never thought of it that way."

Jin gave them all a satisfied smile. "We can think of something, I'm sure. In the meantime, Zuko, why don't we--oh no, it's here again!"

Everyone turned to see a red car slowly cruising on the road outside the university. Jin's eyes were wide with terror as she tried to hide behind Haru and Sokka. Zuko glanced around confusedly till he caught sight of the plate number of the car: 1AZR

"_That could only be Azula," _he realized. He had no way of knowing the car's exact occupants, owing to the tinted windows, but he was certain beyond doubt that is sister had a hand behind this strange occurrence. He did his best to look nonchalant as the car revved up and zipped away once it got past the university. "How long has this been happening?" he asked Jin.

"Since I got home from the police precinct," Jin said tremulously. "I began seeing the car outside my house. Then this morning on my way to school, the car actually stopped. One of the passengers--I think she was wearing pink, stepped out, but before she could talk to me I ran."

"Maybe you could shake those people. Change your route," Sokka suggested.

"Perhaps," Jin said, trying to sound calmer. "Zuko, could you walk me home?"

Zuko's mouth went dry at these words. "I'm not sure that's the best idea," he blurted out. "_Even if she didn't recognize Ty Lee, I don't think I can tell Jin about the possibility of my sister and her friends hounding her." _

"Why?" Jin asked quietly, crossing her arms.

"Because…" Zuko began, gritting his teeth as he felt the others' heated glares at him. "Because one person is less noticeable than two."

"Zuko!" Haru reprimanded. "Fine Jin, if he won't walk you home, I will."

"Thanks," Jin said. Her smile dropped a little when she looked again at Zuko. "Call me when you get home, okay?" she whispered.

"I will," Zuko said, feeling his face burn. "Stay safe, you two."

As Haru and Jin walked off, Aang glanced at his watch. "I'm going to meet Katara for waterbending practice," he said.

"I thought Toph was teaching you earthbending," Sokka said.

"We tried to practice earlier today. Master Pakku had me moved to the earthbending class," Aang explained. "At least I was able to dodge the rocks she sent at me. I can't bend them yet though," he added in a more disappointed tone.

"Toph has been earthbending since she was a little girl. You just need more practice," Sokka said. "Besides, there's more to learn than just bending."

"I hope that's just it," Aang said, managing a smile as he turned to walk back into the gate. "See you guys later."

"Are you going home already?" Zuko asked Sokka once Aang was gone.

"Not yet. I'm supposed to meet Suki for some training while waiting up for Katara," Sokka said. "That is, after I help Yue run some errands."

"_This guy is really getting around," _Zuko noted. He put his hands in his pockets. "Don't you think that's not such a good idea?" he asked cautiously.

Sokka's mouth opened and shut as he took in what Zuko said. "Is it really that obvious?" he asked.

"I may be dense, Sokka, but I'm not stupid," the firebender pointed out. "They _both_ like you, and if I were you, I wouldn't get caught up in the wrath of two women."

"You're one to talk. Remember what happened with Song and Mai last year?" Sokka asked critically.

Zuko twitched at the memories the mentions brought to mind. "_I was moving too fast from one to the other," _he told himself. "At least I won't make that same mistake again, not if I can help it."

Sokka sighed deeply. "Yue and I have a lot in common. We're both from the Water Tribes, we both like to discuss history, we like sea-prunes…well, you get the picture. On the other hand, I think I can talk to Suki more, never mind if she can beat me with her eyes closed. And she's very upfront with me. I don't really know what to do."

"Sorry for being unable to offer any advice on this matter," Zuko smirked.

Sokka gave him a baleful look. "Thanks for the sympathy."

"Your sister is taking up Psychology. Maybe you should have her examine _you." _ Zuko blurted out, quite forgetting about the boomerang his best friend always carried.

0000

Meanwhile, elsewhere on campus, two girls did their best to clean up the mud that had gotten sprayed all over a bench.

"I think I like him, you know," Suki said as she used her sharp fan to scrape some caked dirt off the seat.

Katara gave Suki an amused glance. "So what seems to be the problem?" she asked concernedly. She had feared that this conversation would happen, despite having a feeling that it was only a matter of time till one of the two girls concerned would ask her about a certain boy.

Suki took a deep breath. "I think he likes Yue."

"_Ouch," _Katara thought. She used some more water to bend away the dirt. "Well, unless Yue likes him, there's nothing much that Sokka can do about it," she said, trying to sound cheery.

Suki bit her lip. Katara felt like hitting herself upside the head. "I'm sorry, Suki," the younger girl said apologetically.

"Maybe it just wasn't meant to be," Suki said. She tried to dash away her tears with her palm. "I'd better compose myself, or I can't face him later when we train. Maybe we _are_ just better off as friends. He's an amazing guy, and he's someone I really care for and I know he cares for me, but that can't get anywhere unless we _both_ want to."

Katara patted Suki's shoulder consolingly. "_I really don't want to take sides on this matter," _she thought. Privately, though she thought that Suki was a good match for her brother, she knew that Sokka and Yue's mutual attraction was a difficult factor. "_And I thought I had problems." _

Suki inspected the pile of mud they had managed to pull off the bench and onto the floor. "So how are things going for you?" she asked Katara more lightly.

"Not much better," Katara replied, feeling the sting welling up within her. "Jet and I talked today, but nothing much more than being civil. He was explaining yesterday's events up and down, and I do believe him, but I don't want to be with him."

"I get what you mean." Suki said. "Now how are we going to clean this up?"

"Watch," Katara smiled, bending water into her hands before using it to wash the mud into the field in spurts, as she was used to doing at home. "And it waters the grass," she whispered as she bent the water back.

A soft clapping came from nearby. "From what tribe are you, young lady?" an old woman asked Katara. Her hair was done up in braids, and she wore a Water-Tribe style collar on her blouse.

"South Pole," Katara said incredulously.

The crone's face softened. "So am I. My name is Hama. I'm a teacher here in the university," she said, bending a few drops of water into her fingers.

"I'm Katara," the girl replied, feeling a sense of familiarity about this stranger. "Did you know my grandmother, Kana?"

A smile lit up Hama's worn face. "Kana, yes. I remember her. It's been many years since I saw her or even another waterbender from the South Pole"

"I'm the only bender in my tribe," Katara said a little wistfully.

"As I feared," Hama said sadly. "So you're new here in Ba Sing Se."

"Yes. My brother is also a student here," Katara said. "Oh by the way, this is my friend Suki," she added, gesturing to her friend.

"You're one of the judo champions," Hama said. "I commend you, young lady."

"Thanks," Suki said cordially. "You teach what subject, Ma'am?"

"Literature," Hama said. "In particular, I specialize in non-Earth nation forms. I'd be happy to impart some of my knowledge. You can find me at the Omashu Building. Feel free to drop by," she added. "I believe that you are also enrolled in bending classes, Katara?"

"Yes, the class taught by Master Pakku."

"The North Pole waterbending master," Hama said reflectively. She seemed to be clucking her tongue as she looked at Katara again. "Would you be interested in learning more about waterbending in our tribe's traditions?"

Katara practically beamed. "I'd love to!"

Suki tapped Katara's shoulder. "Speaking about bending, weren't you supposed to meet Aang for practice?"

"Yeah," Katara said, looking at her watch quickly. "I really must go, Madam Hama," she said apologetically to the older bender.

"Oh, don't bother yourself too much. We'll meet again," Hama said calmly. Katara nodded by way of acknowledgment before tearing down the walkway with Suki in her wake.

It was a good way to the school gymnasium, and both girls were nearly winded when they arrived at the doorstep. When Katara pushed open the door leading to the pool, she was greeted by a strange sight.

"Aang, what are you doing?" she asked anxiously. The Avatar was seated cross-legged on the cold tile floor. His hands were palm up in his lap, and his eyes were closed.

"I don't think he can hear us, Katara," Suki said, venturing closer.

"Maybe he's in a trance," Katara whispered. Before she could put her hand on Aang's shoulder, the boy suddenly yelled and his eyes shot open.

"Aang!" Katara shouted as he pitched forward. She and Suki caught him by the arms before he could hit the floor.

Aang's eyes focused on Katara. "I'll be alright," he said weakly, coming out of his trance.

"You don't sound it. What's going on?" Katara demanded.

Aang's smile grew a little strained as he helped himself to a sitting position. "I just spoke with Avatar Roku."

"Aang, Avatar Roku is dead."

"I know, but I can go into the Spirit World. That's what I was doing when I bumped into him. He told me about something urgent—something that might explain what's going on now in Ba Sing Se."

"Which is?" Suki asked warily.

"I had a vision," Aang replied. "A great fireball in the sky. Roku said it was Sozin's comet, the thing that helped the Fire Nation gather so much power. I have to find out what the Fire Nation's plan is, and stop it before the comet comes back in the summer."

"Or…" Katara began.

"Or we'll all be in big trouble," Aang said, his voice dropping. "I don't know if I'll master the elements by then. I don't even know where to begin looking for the Fire Nation's plans and secrets."

"_I wonder if Zuko knows something we all don't," _Katara thought as she squeezed Aang's shoulder reassuringly. "If there's anyone cut out for the task, it's you," she said.

Just then, the door opened again. "Suki! There you are!" Sokka greeted enthusiastically, half-dragging Zuko with him into the gymnasium. Toph padded in after them, flinching at the coldness of the tiles on her bare feet.

Suki looked up and smiled at Sokka. "How did you know I was here?"

"Trial and error," Zuko said.

"Until I came along and pointed the way to you two," Toph grinned.

"Right," Zuko said. "What happened to bending practice?" he queried, looking at the two waterbenders.

"_La, his eyes when he does that…" _Katara found herself thinking before she caught her train of thought and shook her head. "Aang had a vision," she said.

"Not surprised. He's the Avatar," Sokka said dismissively.

"A _disturbing_ vision, Sokka," Katara said tersely.

"Zuko, what do you know of Sozin's comet?" Aang asked anxiously.

Much to Katara's amusement, Zuko began scratching his head. "I can't really give you the details, unfortunately," he said awkwardly. "I just know that when it came, that was when my ancestor Fire Lord Sozin was able to send strong firebenders to make Earth Nation colonies."

Suki set her jaw at this fact. "Were it not for the fact that the Unagi, or sea serpent, lives near Kyoshi Island, I think the Fire Nation would have taken it then."

"So are we still having bending practice?" Aang asked his friends.

"If you're still up to it," Katara replied.

"This should be interesting," Zuko said. "Though I think that the advantage belongs to Aang, naturally."

"And you can do one better?" Katara challenged. "Or are you afraid of getting drenched?"

"Try me," Zuko riposted. "A rematch now, Katara?"

"The last time we did this, you couldn't get the chill out of your wound," Katara taunted as she saw Zuko rolling up his sleeves. "And I see you've got another injury."

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "That was from a boomerang, but I'll definitely manage."

"Zuko, Katara, I don't think this is such a good idea." Aang said, backing off.

"Oh bring it on already!" Toph exclaimed.

"I think we should stand back," Sokka warned, realizing that his sister and his friend were beginning to assume bending stances. In the blink of an eye, Katara rushed at Zuko with water whips. The firebender evaded her before sending an arc of flame towards her feet. Katara quickly extinguished the fire before hurling a shower of ice at her opponent. Zuko quickly wrapped himself in flame to defend himself, and succeeded in melting the spikes that would have pierced him otherwise.

"_He's harder to shake than I thought," _Katara realized as she sized him up. She felt as if she would be seared just by the way that Zuko was just _looking _at her. "_He's actually not scared of me," _she told herself as she began making ice pillars to hopefully uppercut him. Much to her irritation, Zuko dodged all her attempts before lobbing fistfuls of flame at her. One singed her sleeves, and she quickly doused the flame before pushing a whole wave of water at Zuko, effectively slamming him against the wall.

Zuko growled before steaming the water off his clothing and meeting her next water barrage with a burst of flame. Steam filled the premises, nearly blurring Katara's vision, but she still managed to dash through the cover to attack him head-on. Without even bending, she succeeded in tackling him.

"Give up," she ordered triumphantly, moving to sit right on his legs in order to immobilize him.

Zuko glared at her. "It's too soon," he said in a low voice as he grabbed her arms.

Katara looked at him quizzically till she realized that the area under his hands was heating up rapidly. She screeched as she tumbled right off him. "That hurt!"

"You'll think twice about trying that again," Zuko smirked as he got to his feet and bent fire whips into his hands. Sensing the challenge, Katara created another set of water whips in time to meet his attack. She managed to catch one of his fire whips with one of her own but was nearly thrown off balance when evading the other whip whirring towards her. She attacked with her second whip, almost drenching him before he leapt out of the path of the water.

"You're fast," she said before spinning to lob ice at him.

He blocked the projectile with a fist wrapped in fire. "That, or I'm wearing you down."

"Not so easily," Katara breathed, blocking another blow from a fire-wreathed hand. However this gave Zuko the opportunity to back her up against the wall with his hands enclosing her wrists.

"You had this coming, Katara," he said in her ear, his breath hot against her neck. He looked down when Katara suddenly bent an ice spike into her hands and jabbed it against his chest.

"You wouldn't dare, Zuko," she threatened, though her voice carried a tinge of pride and acknowledgment.

Applause came from the onlookers. "It's a draw, you two!" Sokka hollered.

Katara looked up in time to see Zuko's face flush crimson before he let go of her hands. She suddenly felt hot and cold all over as she glanced from her friends to her opponent. "_It was almost like dancing," _the thought leapt unbidden to her mind.

"It seems as if they're evenly matched," Toph grinned mischievously.

"Admit it, you're impressed." Zuko said, shooting a glance at Katara.

"Maybe," Katara replied, not bothering to hide her smile.


	14. The First Crossroads

Chapter 13: The First Crossroads

**Chapter 13: The First Crossroads**

Zuko could hear the tense discussion even before he rounded the corner of the hallway after classes. He had originally hoped to speak with his groupmates regarding their still stalled report, but that was before he entered the university's so-called "whispering corridor". Against his better judgment, he slipped into an alcove in the passage, where he could listen unseen by his classmates.

"I really don't want to ruin your friendship with Suki. And I don't think it's fair to both of you either if I don't come clean," Sokka said. "I'm sorry, Yue, but I don't think I deserve to be seeing you."

In his hiding place, Zuko slapped his palm to his face. "_Way to go Sokka," _he thought. "_And couldn't he have thought of a better excuse than him not deserving her?" _

"So how long have you liked Suki?" Yue asked a little more quietly.

"Some time now. I feel so stupid for doing this."

"Sokka, I like you a lot and I know we have this connection, but I couldn't help but think that you always got along better with Suki. I don't blame you for liking her. In fact…I think it's only right."

"Zuko, what are you doing in there?" Aang suddenly asked, emerging seemingly out of nowhere. Startled, Zuko jumped and wound up hitting his head on the alcove. He swore explosively as he glowered at the Avatar.

At this, the conversation around the corner suddenly stopped. Aang's eyes widened as Sokka and Yue walked up to them. "How long have you been eavesdropping?" Yue asked Aang and Zuko pointedly.

"Um…" Zuko replied, noticing Sokka reaching for his boomerang again. "Um…not very long?" he managed to squeak.

"I just got here," Aang replied, wiping at the sweat forming on his face.

Sokka glanced uncomfortably at his friends, then at Yue. "This is not going the way I had planned…"

Yue let out a resigned sigh. "At least you were honest. We might not have been meant to be. I'll just see you around, Sokka. Good luck with Suki."

"Yue, if it affects you that much, I won't date Suki either. It's just not the right thing."

"Sokka, seriously, I think Suki likes you."

Sokka's jaw dropped as Yue headed to the elevator. "Did she just--" he said, turning to the two boys.

"She's hurting," Aang said quietly.

Sokka winced. "Some weekend this is going to be. I have to start training for my practical test in swordsmanship. I don't think Suki will still want to train with me after what just happened."

"You have to be as honest with Suki as you were with Yue," Aang advised.

Sokka nodded grimly. "Suki's waiting at the gymnasium. I promise guys, I'll pitch in with making our anthropology project starting tomorrow."

"You'd better," Zuko said. "Aang?"

The Avatar shrugged. "Toph says she's not through getting the airbender out of me yet. So I think the two of us aren't coming either."

"_Is this some conspiracy?" _ Zuko wondered. He made a note to speak with Toph about it soon. "You three owe me and Katara big time."

"Maybe we'll drop by the tea café after," Aang said, sounding a little guilty. "Actually, we should and we will."

Zuko made a huffing sound. "See you later," he said before heading to the elevator. Once outside the building, he ran his hand through his hair, and was surprised to see his palm covered in sweat.

"That was awkward," he muttered. He checked his phone for messages and was surprised to find none. "_Normally Jin sends me one. She must be stuck in class then or doing something important," _he thought.

He found Katara at the university quad, standing in what was once a patch of green grass. The girl was focused on bending a globe of water in the air. "What are you doing?" he asked her.

Katara did not lose control of her bending, but she did nod in acknowledgment. "Trying something I learned from Madame Hama."

The name rang a bell in Zuko's mind. "Isn't she one of Jin's crazy teachers?"

"I didn't know that," Katara said. "Anyway, she teaches here, but she was originally from the South Pole Water Tribe."

It then only hit Zuko just _where_ Katara had gotten the water in her hands. "So you can get water almost _anywhere_ now except a desert?" he asked slowly.

"Yeah, but I find it better to carry my own," the girl replied, lowering the water back to the ground. She looked at the shriveled grass near her feet. "Hopefully I won't have to resort to this more often."

Zuko nodded. "Ready to go?"

Katara picked up her bag and went to him. "Did you run all the way here? You're kind of sweaty."

"No, but maybe you could bend it away?" Zuko quipped.

She punched his arm. "Zuko, that's unbelievably gross."

He mentally cringed as they headed to the parking lot. Just before Zuko could open the car door for Katara, his phone rang. Panic leapt up in him as he recognized the number of the tea café.

"Uncle?" he greeted, forcing himself to stay calm.

"Zuko, is Jin with you?" Iroh asked.

"No."

"Her mother just called. She has gone missing, and she can't be contacted."

"_What's going on?" _Zuko wondered. He did feel afraid, but he was surprised that the sensation did not paralyze him, as it might have in other circumstances. "I haven't seen her at school. Maybe she's still in class."

"Nephew, this is serious." Iroh said more sternly. "Something tells me that things aren't right. Look for Jin, and call when you find her. Bring one of your friends with you to be safe."

Zuko sighed. "Okay then."

Katara gave him a worried look as he hung up. "I have the feeling that we aren't going straight to the tea café?"

Zuko let out a deep breath. "We just have to make sure Jin is safe. It won't be long." Frankly, he did not know _where_ to begin, but just for the sake of reassurance, he had to say something.

"She can't have gotten _too_ far. Do you know her usual route home?" Katara asked.

Zuko nodded numbly as they got into the car. They drove a little way before suddenly a mound of earth rose in front of the car. Zuko slammed on the brakes abruptly, jerking him and Katara forward.

"Who did that?" Zuko asked aloud. He was about to step out of the van when suddenly Katara grabbed him by his collar and yanked him back. A red car practically scraped past the van on Zuko's side and managed to clear the road obstacle.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Katara asked him sharply. "That car could've hit you!"

"That's my _sister's_ car, and I'm pretty sure she's got something to do with Jin's disappearing!" Zuko retorted, shaking out of Katara's grip and vaulting out of the vehicle. He saw Haru racing up the mound he had created, earthbending in hopes of catching the red roadster.

"Zuko, we need to back this car up!" Katara shouted. Zuko leapt back into the driver's seat and put the van in reverse. Gritting his teeth, he floored the gas pedal. Katara bent some water towards the earth barricade and wore down its edge enough for the van to clear the top. The car bounced as it landed on the other side before roaring off in pursuit.

"Strap yourself in," Zuko ordered as he sharply turned a corner, giving him a few seconds to gain on Haru. The earthbender jumped to avoid being clipped by Zuko's van before grabbing the driver's side door.

"Let me in! We have to catch that car!" he shouted.

"We're here to help you," Katara said. Haru lost no time in getting into the backseat and throwing a passenger window open to get a clear crack at Azula's car.

"What happened?" Zuko asked the earthbender.

"Jin and I were at the Kuzon café, getting a bite to eat," Haru said. "Suppose I should have asked you to come, because some crazy firebending girl came in with two of her friends. One of them knocked Jin out, the other pegged me to the wall while the firebender directed the entire thing. I don't know what they want with her."

_"It's my fault. Azula's going to use her to get me to spill things, or worse to blackmail me." _Zuko thought. "I think I should let you know that it's my sister you're dealing with."

"Your sister sounds sadistic." Katara said. "Don't tell me she actually practiced on you when you were kids."

Katara's jibe made Zuko's face redden. "_Is that girl taking psychology or mind-reading?" _he wondered as he chased their quarry into an alley. Seeing that Azula had nowhere to turn, he pulled the key out of the ignition, even as his hands shook.

000

"_No plants to help add to my bending water!" _Katara realized as she clambered out of the car. She was right beside Zuko as he went over to investigate. The crunch of Haru's footsteps behind them was nearly as loud as the pounding of her heart as the driver's side door of the red car opened up.

Katara caught Zuko looking at her as if to say, "_This is my own problem." _ Carefully, Katara hid her flask of bending water and motioned for Haru to assume a casual pose.

"You've always made my job a _lot_ easier, brother," a cool, malicious voice greeted. Katara instinctively stepped back as a girl who she _knew_ had to be Zuko's sister stepped out of the car.

"Where's Jin?" Zuko glowered at Azula.

"She's in the back. Mai and Ty Lee are keeping her company," Azula said. "She'll be fine if you cooperate."

"What do you want, Azula?" Zuko demanded, his hands balling up dangerously.

"A little information, Zuko." Azula replied. "What do you _really_ know about the Avatar?"

Katara stiffened as she willed herself not to meet Zuko's eyes. "_I will kill him if he says anything!" _she swore.

Zuko gritted his teeth. "Nothing," he said in a low, controlled tone.

Azula lightly clicked her long nails against the hood of her car. "Nothing really? I can't believe you would lie to me, your sister!"

"It takes a liar to know another."

"Harsh words, brother."

"Enough of this!" Zuko snapped. "I already told you that I don't know anything about the Avatar."

"Perhaps I'm using the wrong tactic." Azula sneered. "Mai, Ty Lee, bring her out!"

"I don't know what you're doing this for!" Jin screamed from inside the car as the other two girls half-pushed her out into the dirt. Azula quickly grabbed Jin's arm and twisted it behind her back.

Jin's eyes were watery as she looked at Zuko. "Help me," she begged.

"We'll get you out," Haru called.

Azula tightened her grip on Jin. "Have you ever burned someone by just touching them, Zuzu? It's a terribly efficient and subtle form of firebending."

The irony was not lost on Katara. As Jin began to whimper and then cry out as Azula burned her skin, the waterbender got out her flask. At the same instant, Zuko rushed forward, flames wrapping his fists. Haru also took the opportunity to bend the earth under Azula's feet. The younger firebender loosened her grip slightly on Jin, giving Katara a chance to send some water between Azula's hand and Jin's arm, effectively forcing the two apart.

"Come on, we have to go!" Haru shouted. He bent some earth towards Azula, allowing Zuko and Katara enough time to pick a sobbing Jin off the ground and half-carry her to the car. As Zuko started the engine, Haru scrambled into the backseat with the girls. Azula tried to hurl a firebolt at them, but Zuko evaded the projectile before screeching off down the alley.

Katara went over and bent some water on the livid burns on Jin's arm. "They'll heal up soon," she said quietly.

"I hope so," Jin said, examining the marks. Her eyes were liquid pools of brown as she looked at her companions. "Thanks for saving me."

"Your mother was worried about you," Zuko said.

"And you weren't?"

"Well…ummm…"

Jin looked down at her hands, which were lying listless in her lap. "Zuko, I think we need to talk."

Zuko winced. "I need to work on my project…"

"I'll go ahead to the tea café and do some work in advance." Katara offered.

Haru shoved Zuko's shoulder. "Take up Katara on that offer, for Jin's sake."

"Fine, fine!" Zuko said. He looked keenly at Jin. "We'll talk."

They sat in silence all the way to the tea café. As Katara got out of the car, she noticed Haru went with her. She looked over her shoulder in time to see Jin slip into the front seat beside Zuko's.

"What happened?" Iroh asked the teenagers.

"An awful lot," Katara replied, looking at the old man. She collapsed into a chair and put her textbooks on a table. "We had a run in with Zuko's sister."

"Ah, Azula." Iroh said. "A pitiful child."

"Pitiful? She would have killed Jin!" Haru roared. "She's a monster!"

Iroh rubbed his temples. "Perhaps in other circumstances she might've done differently…what you don't understand is that Azula is her father's daughter."

"And Zuko?" Katara asked tersely.

"Is his mother's son."

Haru scratched his head while Katara nodded knowingly. "_What can life do that can bring the two of you to such a state?" _she wondered. She gratefully accepted when Iroh gave her and Haru some tea. As she opened her textbooks to read, the tea café door clattered open again.

"Nephew…" Iroh began before Zuko walked past him without saying anything. The teenager skulked up the stairs to his room and slammed the door.

Haru and Katara exchanged glances. "I'll get him," Katara said. Determinedly, she marched up the stairs and found herself standing in front of three doors. Quickly, she knocked on the middlemost door. "Zuko? Open up!" she shouted.

The rightmost door opened a crack. "You're knocking on the bathroom door," Zuko scowled.

Before he could slam the door again, Katara had pushed it to stay open. "What happened?" she asked.

Tentatively, Zuko opened the door a little wider. "Jin broke up with me."

Katara wished she could touch Zuko's face, or perhaps bend away the tears that were threatening to spill out of his eyes. "Zuko, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be." Zuko said. "She said that it was unfair that she seemed to take what we had more seriously than I did."

"You two had very different expectations," Katara offered.

"She was right." Zuko said painfully. "I've been stupid."

_"Maybe so, but I can't blame him entirely." _Katara realized. "You cared for her in your own way, Zuko. Otherwise, why would you have gone out to save her?"

Zuko's eyes narrowed at her. "I don't need a shrink."

"I know. And I'm not trying to be, not now." Katara said firmly.

Zuko's hand dropped from the door with surprise. Katara pushed it open so that she had a full view of him. Unexpectedly, against the more rational part of her mind, she found her arms wrapped around his shaking shoulders, his face half-buried in her hair. Oddly enough, when his hands fell to her waist and he pulled her close, Katara felt as if of all places in Ba Sing Se, she was in the right one for once.


	15. The Earth Rumble

Chapter 14: The Earth Rumble

**Chapter 14: The Earth Rumble**

"No way!"

"How did you manage to get that many tickets—and front row ones too?"

Haru grinned as he pocketed the Earth Rumble tickets and motioned to the "keep quiet" sign posted in the library. "So I take it that you two are going along?" he asked Sokka and Aang.

"Of course! I've been waiting for this!" Sokka said excitedly.

"It's a school night, but sure, I'm in," Aang said cheerily. "Hey Zuko, are you coming too?"

Zuko did not put down his political science book. "Try me."

Haru and Sokka exchanged knowing looks. "Still moping, I see," Sokka said, going over to where the sulky firebender was seated.

"Go away, Sokka. Aren't you supposed to be someplace with Suki?" Zuko said rather bitterly. It had been three days since the fateful "discussion" with Jin, and since then Zuko felt as if he had come undone. "_It's because I began to rely on her being there…began thinking that for once things could be normal," _he had rationalized once. Still, the guilt refused to stop gnawing at him.

"For the nth time, I'm not seeing Suki. The two of us are just taking things easy till we get our heads on straight, as my sister likes to put it." Sokka said.

Zuko slammed his book on the table. "Do I have to spell it out to the three of you? Leave me alone!" he hissed.

"What seems to be the problem Sparky?" Toph greeted as she walked up to them. The blind earthbender put her things on the nearest table, but did not sit down.

"_Great, now I have to deal with her too?" _ Zuko thought. "I don't want to talk about it."

"I've got tickets to the Earth Rumble," Haru explained. "I've already invited Teo, Aang, and Sokka. There's still more to go around."

"Earth Rumble?" Toph laughed. "I've had my ticket for the longest time. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Front row?" Haru asked.

"Of course. How else will I "see" what's going on?" Toph asked, stamping her feet for emphasis. She turned towards Zuko. "Honestly, you're more of a sissy than I thought, Sparky."

"Sissy?!" Zuko sputtered. "Where did you get that idea?"

"Well, something screws up and you go on for days feeling so awful," Toph said. "You do nothing but sit there nowadays. You'd probably burn the feet off anyone who walked by if you weren't as careful. No wonder why Sweetness is practically putting you in therapy."

The mention of Katara brought an unbidden smile to Zuko's face. "_Come to think of it, why does she?" _he wondered. He knew that if he wanted some psychological care of the more sound type, he could have gone to Aang or even his Uncle for help, their individual quirks withstanding. "_Yet I talk to a waterbender of all people," _he mused. However, what time he had left to contemplate that suddenly evaporated as said waterbender entered the library.

"Did I miss something?" she asked her friends as she set down her things next to Zuko's elbow.

"_Not very much," _Zuko would have said if the others did not break out in their simultaneous explanations. Katara shook her head before looking at him. "You. You're terribly quiet."

Zuko looked up at her, though he was aware that just a few paces away, Aang's eyes were narrowing dangerously at them both. "Don't tell me you're going to the Earth Rumble."

Katara put a hand on her hip. "Is this what it's all about?" she asked her friends.

"Yeah! They say a lot of the best competitors are coming," Aang grinned.

"It's just a bunch of guys throwing rocks—" Katara began.

"Glad someone shares my opinion," Zuko muttered.

Katara glanced at him knowingly. "—but I suppose I'll go if Toph's going."

Zuko noticed Aang's triumphant expression. "Fine, I'm in then," he blurted out.

"So much for guy-time," Sokka muttered.

Haru shook his head with dissatisfaction. "After what you did to Jin--" he said threateningly to Zuko.

"Don't rib me about it," Zuko said. "She broke it off after all, not me."

Katara rolled her eyes. "You boys sometimes," she said, giving Zuko a sympathetic look. "Haru, please."

Haru shrugged philosophically. "Let's meet up at six tomorrow. We need to take a car, since Teo can't go all the way there on a wheelchair. Don't worry Zuko, Teo's not bringing Song with him."

Zuko nodded. "Does this mean I'm driving?"

"Any alternatives?" Sokka asked.

Zuko sighed resignedly. "Six then in the parking lot. And I won't tolerate latecomers."

Toph bit her lip. "My class ends a little early tomorrow, so I think I'll go on ahead and just meet you guys at the event."

"You sure?" Katara asked concernedly.

Toph nodded obstinately. "You don't have to mother me, Sugar Queen."

Something about Toph's idea did not ring right in Zuko's ears. Still, he found himself agreeing. "Suit yourself," he said.

000

"You're shaping up to be a powerful bender, Katara," Madame Hama said proudly as the young girl threaded a ribbon of water from the vapor in the air.

Katara smiled as she tossed the ribbon up, letting it form a globe. "Ma'am, why don't you teach waterbending with Master Pakku?" she asked quizzically.

Hama's expression soured. "A lot of people believe that waterbending is the weakest of all bending. If I were a teacher here, they would think otherwise," she muttered. She looked at Katara intently. "I have been told that the school has no use for my talents."

"They're wrong about that," Katara said, feeling indignation well up within her. "You have so much to teach!"

A smile flitted over Hama's face. "If you do not know how to fight for what is rightfully yours, you will lose it too easily, like I did," she said. "There are a few things I still have to show you. Did you say you were going someplace?"

"I'm meeting my brother and my friends to watch the Earth Rumble." Katara replied.

Hama nodded knowingly. "I hope you enjoy yourself."

Katara bowed. "Thank you for today's lesson, Ma'am," she said, picking up her schoolbag before racing to the parking lot.

Zuko was also walking to the van when he caught sight of her. He gave her a nod of acknowledgment as he reached the car and leaned against the hood.

Katara went up beside him. "How are you holding up?" she asked.

"Better," Zuko said, crossing his arms. He gave her a sideways glance. "And what about you?"

"Waterbending lessons."

"Whatever happened to hanging out with Jet?"

The mention of her miscreant crush pinched Katara slightly from within. "Zuko, must you bring him up now?" she asked him tersely.

"I was just wondering," Zuko said defensively. "Anything wrong with that?"

Katara crossed her arms. "I don't know actually. I don't want to think of him when I've got huge problems to deal with. Like for example, the fact that I think your sister may know more than she let on," she said, looking at him pointedly.

"I didn't tell her anything, if that's what you're implying." Zuko said, raising his lone eyebrow.

"I know," Katara said. "It's just that it doesn't make sense. How did she know that the Avatar is here in Ba Sing Se?"

"My father has spies everywhere." Zuko said darkly. "I've ferreted out at least one of them." He restlessly checked his watch. "What's taking the rest so long?"

Katara shrugged. "Want to go look for them?"

Zuko shook his head. "Too much trouble."

"_Not like Zuko to want to stand still," _Katara noted. "You don't strike me as the type to actually watch Earth Rumble."

"Nor do you."

"It's an opportunity for me to hang out with my brother and the rest," Katara said. "And you?"

"My uncle says I should get out more," Zuko admitted. "I was just starting to enjoy that when that incident happened."

"It will take some getting over," Katara said, touching Zuko's shoulder.

"I know," Zuko said. "Jin was nice…pretty…but she just wasn't--"

"Are we late?" Aang's voice suddenly cut in. Zuko and Katara turned to see Aang running up a few steps ahead of Teo, who was freewheeling in his wheelchair. Sokka and Haru trailed behind, making sure that the crippled boy would not hurt himself.

"Not overly," Katara said before Zuko could reply.

Teo glanced at the boys. "So she's the only girl coming? Cool."

"Actually, we're meeting up with Toph later," Sokka explained, opening the passenger door. Teo hoisted himself in before quickly collapsing his wheelchair with a flick of his wrist. The other teens piled into the car, but before anyone could say anything, Katara had slipped into the front passenger seat.

"You know, there's still room in the back!" Sokka called to her.

Katara glanced back at him. "I'll sit there when we bring Toph home, okay?" she said reassuringly, not missing the odd looks that all the other boys were giving her older brother.

"_Okay, this is getting complicated," _she told herself as she adjusted her seatbelt.

000

The first thing that got to Zuko when they arrived at the Ba Sing Se stadium was the smell of freshly smoothed over earth mingled with the pungency of too many earthbenders and fans packed in one place. "_Can't say I like the element a lot,"_ he thought wryly. He handed a scarf to Aang. "Use this to cover up the arrow," he advised.

Aang deftly tied the scarf over his head. "Thanks."

Katara glanced at her phone. "No message from Toph yet."

"Maybe we should call her up," Aang suggested.

The waterbender dialed the younger girl's number. After a few minutes, she shook her head. "She's not picking up."

"Try her landline," Teo said over the cheers and roars of the crowd.

Katara tried to make another call, but to no avail. "Something's up."

"I'm sure Toph has a perfectly rational explanation," Sokka said calmly.

"Sokka, it's not like Toph to just _not_ pick up," Katara pointed out.

Zuko watched this impassively. "_This girl worries too much," _he thought as they found their seats. They sat in this order: Sokka, then Katara, then Zuko, then Aang, followed by Haru, with Teo closest to the aisle.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the annual Earth Rumble!" the announcer hollered from the sound booth. As applause rang through the stadium, several figures carrying placards and banners vaulted over the arena walls.

"Citizens of the Earth Kingdom, listen!" Jet shouted from the middle. "Tonight, we need you to hear us, for the sake of your people!"

"Get these kids out of the arena!" someone shouted.

"No! You must listen! The very future of this realm is at stake." Smellerbee insisted. "Right now as we speak, the Fire Nation is sending envoys not to the Earth King, but to the Dai Li! Only we can stop them!"

Murmurs and boos coursed through the auditorium as some security agents went to collar the People's Rights Party members. Pipsqueak glowered at the two puny agents who tried to grab Duke. Longshot pulled Smellerbee behind him while Jet leaped forward with his two hooked swords.

"Should we help them?" Haru asked Katara worriedly.

"We can't do anything now," the waterbender shook her head bitterly.

"Anyone who cares, please listen to us!" Jet pleaded as he was knocked down. "The Avatar is here in Ba Sing Se, and he can help us all!" he added before he was quickly gagged and dragged out with his companions amid the heckling of the spectators.

"Don't look at Aang, whatever you do!" Zuko ordered in an undertone.

"We have to find a way to get them out," Aang said. "If what they're saying is right…"

"Aang, be sensible. If we jump in now, they'll get us too," Teo said as the crowd began to calm down. "Even though we should do something."

"As I was saying before I was interrupted, welcome to the Earth Rumble!" the announcer continued. "Tonight, you will see the most amazing earthbenders in the world fight it out for the title of the champion. Tonight will be a contest of the type you have never seen before!"

"Look, it's the Boulder," Sokka said, pointing to one of the fighters on the sidelines as the fights proceeded. "They say he's the best fighter here."

"Yeah, and it's going to be a great match between him and the Blind Bandit, last year's champion," Haru said, sounding a little subdued though excitement still tinged his voice. "My money is on the Bandit."

"No way. No one can beat the Boulder," Sokka said haughtily. "What do you think, Zuko?"

"I don't follow these things," Zuko said before a deafening shout drowned out his next words. Sokka, Aang, Teo, and Haru joined in, giving the poor firebender cause to plug his ears.

Down in the arena, an earthbender had already encased his opponent in a mound before blasting him out of the ring. "Alright, take that!" Sokka crowed.

"Psh, freezing him would have worked fine," Katara muttered.

"So would have burning," Zuko noted.

"Does the Fire Nation have something like this?" Katara asked him.

The closest equivalent that Zuko could think of made him shudder. "Trust me, you would not want to see an Agni Kai."

"I wonder what the Boulder will do," Aang said.

"He's not very precise though, from what I hear," Teo pointed out. "Still, deadly."

"Here he comes!" Haru shouted. Sokka whooped as the famed fighter strode into the ring.

"The Boulder meets his challenger!" the earthbender proclaimed before flinging a rock at his unwitting opponent.

"Alright!" the boys chorused while Katara winced at the sound of cracking bones. Even Zuko found himself watching intently as the Boulder took out challenger after challenger by either propelling them away with rocks or blasting them out of the arena using mounds of earth. "_I only know a few firebenders who can hold up to someone like that," _he told himself.

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for," the announcer bellowed as yet another unfortunate earthbender was carried out of the arena. "Last year's champion, now defending her title, the Blind Bandit!"

"The Blind Bandit's a girl?!" Aang sputtered.

"Not just any girl!" Katara exclaimed, pointing to the arena. "Look!"

Zuko's jaw dropped in horror as the gates to the arena opened, revealing a small figure wearing a green sparring dress. "_Agni no…it can't be!" _

The crowd was cheering wildly now, save for the shocked teenagers who could only watch as Toph Bei Fong calmly walked into the arena and planted her feet firmly on the ground. Her black hair half-covered her pale green eyes, effectively making her identity quite hard to guess.

"The Boulder feels hesitation at having to fight a small, defenseless girl!" the burly challenger mocked.

"Boulder? More like _pebble_," Toph said coolly.

"The Boulder's hesitation is now overcome," the now irate man said, pelting a rock towards Toph. A whole second passed, as if Toph was unheeding of the danger coming towards her. All of a sudden, the petite girl bent away the rock before twisting her foot to send a ripple of earth up under the Boulder. The shrieking challenger was hurled out of the ring amid the yells of some and the gasps of many.

"La, this is even more than what she does at school!" Katara remarked as another challenger went for Toph. With a smile of glee, Toph stomped her feet to uppercut the other earthbender with a wall of earth. She took out one opponent after another calmly, barely evading anything. Once, she got knocked down, but she recovered quickly and managed to bury her opponent as she stood up. With this last move, the buzzer sounded.

"Once again, the Blind Bandit wins the title of the Earth Rumble Champion!" the announcer said ecstatically. "This has been the most amazing show yet!"

"So that's what Toph means by having to act like an earthbender instead of an airbender," Aang said rather reflectively.

"At least you're sure that your earthbending teacher is the best there is in this city," Haru said.

Just then, Katara's phone suddenly rang. "Toph?" she greeted. "That was awesome! Oh yeah, won't spill the beans. Sure, we'll meet you outside."

Sokka glanced at her. "We're picking her up?"

"Yes, out the back entrance," Katara said.

"Seems to me there is much we really don't know about Miss Bei Fong," Teo said as they filed out with the other spectators. By the time they located the back entrance, Toph was already seated there, having changed her sparring clothes for a more commonplace dress.

Zuko hung back as Haru, Katara, Sokka, and Aang practically crushed Toph in a hug. "That was awesome! Where did you learn to do all of that?" Haru asked the younger bender.

"At home." Toph said. "Can we get out of here now?"

"Why weren't you answering your phone, even at home?" Zuko asked.

Toph let out a sigh. "My concierge tried to lock me in. Orders of my parents. They freaked when they heard from a friend that I was doing this Earth Rumble. The old woman even took my phone and cut my line."

"Oh no." Katara said. "So how did you manage to get out?"

Toph's smile grew wide. "I bent metal to get me out of the flat, and to fix my phone."

"You bent _metal_?" Haru said in shock. "But most earthbenders can't get out of metal restraints!"

"That's because people don't know that metal has little impurities of earth in it," Toph explained. She reached into her pockets and brought out a very deformed padlock. "I just see them, or sort of. So that's why I'm able to bend."

"I wish I could do that," Aang said wistfully.

Toph grinned at him. "Get basic earthbending right, then I'll teach you."

"Thanks, Sifu Toph."

Katara's eyes narrowed. "You never called me Sifu Katara."

Suddenly, a blur of blue and white rushed to their group "Sokka!" Yue greeted breathlessly. "Were Jet and his party here tonight?" she asked.

"Yeah, and they got taken away," Sokka said. "Why?"

Yue took a deep breath. "We have to bail them out."

"Yue, do we _have _to?" Zuko asked, feeling the very idea turn metallic in the back of his mouth.

Yue nodded, bringing a folded manifesto out of her pocket. "Suki found this on campus and showed it to me. I think that whatever they're saying needs some investigation, simply because they might be right. Sokka, I need you and Suki to help me," she said. "The rest of you too," she said quietly.

"_Azula is going to come after me when I find out what she and her friends are really doing here," _Zuko thought. He cleared his throat. "I think this has to do with what happened to the political prisoners, and with those facts about the Fire Nation spies."

Haru gave a start. "You could prove that?"

"So there really are spies here?" Sokka asked.

"That makes matters worse." Yue winced. "I hate to say this, but if Zuko's right, I think we're all in for some very big trouble."


End file.
